Three Hearts And An Alice
by Alice J. Nightshade
Summary: Alice has returned, bringing along a friend who shares her love of the strange and mad. But when forces threaten her life, will she be able to keep her and her friends safe? And will the Hatter be able to tell her the truth, or be too late already?
1. Tears From Both Worlds

**My first fan fiction! Review! **

Things could not have gotten any worse for Alice. After her first trip to China was a success Alice was eager to go again only to be held back by a cruel storm that delayed her trip for another month under her mothers judging eyes. Ms. Kinsley hadn't taken the news of her daughter's refusal to Hamish well. Constantly Alice was reminded about what she had done and what a fool she made her mother look like.

"I cannot believe you could embarrass me like that. What possessed you to go run off into the woods for an hour like that? Leaving Hamish and the rest of us standing there waiting for you to come back, dress filthy, hair a mess, to tell him no, and then do such a ridiculous dance!" Her mother scolded her.

"Futterwaken" Alice whispered to herself but her mother had kept reprimanding her like Alice hadn't even spoken.

"Well" Alice had wanted to tell her mother "To be perfectly honest, I fell down a rabbit hole into a world called Underland. I've only visited there once before when I was a child. There were tons of fantastic creatures like a disappearing cat who could smile a white rabbit with a pocket watch and a red waist coat, and a blue smoking caterpillar. Oh and did I mention all these animals could talk too? There were people too like the lovely white queen Mirana and her nasty sister the queen of hearts who had a rather large head. I also slayed a monster called a Jabberwocky. And I met the most amazing Hatter. Oh the Hatter." Alice would have broken off to try to locate the right words to describe her Hatter. But how could anyone describe anyone as wonderful as him? How protectively he was over Alice and how he would brighten up the mood in any room by merely entering it.

But of course Alice couldn't tell her mother all of this. She would be considered even madder in her mother's eyes then she already was. "

_All the best people are_ An unforgettable voice whispered in the back of her mind.

"Soon." She had whispered to herself as her mother finally lost it and threw herself into a chair and covered her face with her pale hands.

"Why." She sobbed "Why can't she be a respectable woman? I've raised her just like Margret and yet she's just as bad as her father. God bless his soul."

Alice hated to see her mother like this. Tears streaming down her tired face, whimpering in pain or perhaps disappointment. What was she to do? She wasn't the champion she was in Underland. Unafraid and strong with her friends by her side. No. She was just Alice now. A girl who's muchness disappeared in the world she lived in now.

Alice turned away from her mother and trudged into her room and closed the door as quietly as possible. She ran to her bed and grabbed the book she'd left on her pillow a few hours ago. Flipping through the familiar pages always brightened Alice's mood.

Well almost always.

After Alice's encountered in Underland she had swore to herself she would no forget again. The pages were filled with her drawings, names of her friends, and most importantly directions to the rabbit hole she hadn't been to in over a year.

"I wonder." Alice whispered to herself leaning against the glass. "What they're all up to."

. . .

Tarrant's world could not be in anymore chaos. Even though his queen Mirana had assured him that she would return soon, she still wasn't there with him.

_Soon isn't now._ Hatter thought bitterly _soon is the future and no one really knows the future so who knows when -or if- Alice would return_

"Hatter?" Mallyumpkn asked holding a spoon full of sugar.

"Oh yes, Mally?" Hatter returned to the present from his hopeless worrying.

"Sugar?" asked the tiny Dormouse.

"Oh yes please." The Hatter picked up his tea cup and placed it down near the mouse.

"Thinking about her aint'cha." Mally said absent mindedly as she poured the sugar into the tea.

"Thinking about who?" Hatter asked lowly with little interest.

"W-Who do you think he's t-thinking about?" Thackery the March hare interrupted turning his had dramatically towards the two. "Hatter's thinking about Alice. We all know it. Ohhh." He picked up his cup and stared at it, stirring it slowly.

The Hatter gasped "Honestly. You two could not be any more-" His voice caught.

He couldn't lie to his friends. Especially if they both knew it was true. Ever since Alice had disappeared into that poof of smoke he hadn't been himself at all.

"She'll be back soon, Hatter." Mally told him putting her small paw on his hand and patting it reassuringly.

"I know Mally. I know. It's just..." He couldn't bring himself to say it. He loved her, unlike the brotherly way he had loved her when she was a child, but he was in love with her. When she left she had taken a piece of him with her. He missed Alice. No, he missed his Alice.

"You know." Chessur Cat said appearing in an empty chair. "I've heard that things haven't been going well for her, you know." He pointed to the sky. "Up there."

"How could you know that?" Hatter asked impatiently.

Chessur rolled his eyes, "You know you really shouldn't question my way of things, Tarrant. I just know."

"So." The Hatter paused playing with his cup as his eyes turned a light green. "She's coming back soon then?"

"I don't know." Chess replied curtly.

The Hatter had to hold on and not lose himself to one of his mad fits. Chess would deserve it though. He should know that he shouldn't play with Tarrant like that. His eyes turned back to a saddening blue. His good mood had disappeared just as Chessur had. _Coward_ Hatter thought.

"You know she's going to come back." Mally insisted with a small smile on her mouse face. "You just gotta be patient." She had hoped that her smile would lead to at least a tint of green in her friend's eyes.

Instead of screaming about the Chessur cat or at Mally about how it was a waste, or breaking down completely into tears, Hatter smiled back.

But in The Hatters eyes, hidden deeply behind his smiles, was sadness. Something was missing in everything now and he knew it. His parties with Mally and Thackery and even that Chess were different now. Even though he had, had hundreds of tea parties without her, they had lost all their fun. Everyone knew it, not just himself of course. But no one said anything about it. It was one of those facts of life that everyone knew and that they also knew shouldn't be mentioned out loud.

But this would be how it remained until she would return.


	2. A New Friend And A New Beginning

Chapter 2

At some point Alice had fallen asleep and the familiar pitter patters of rocks of the glass of her bedroom window awoke her.

When she got up and looked out onto the street she smiled. Standing there waiting just like he had every morning since the day they met was Nicholas Peacon.

_Its funny_ Alice thought to herself as she got dressed _I can still remember the exact day I met him._

It had been a normal day when Alice had visited her sister Margret at her home a few streets from Alice's own home.

"How is your trip coming along, Alice?" Margret asked pouring her sister some tea.

"Oh. It's been going quite well, I think." Alice smiled fondly at her sister.

Even though Margret did at some times try too hard to push Alice into her future, she still cared about what Alice thought. Margret wanted her little sister to have all the things she had and to live a happy life.

"That's good. When do you ship off?" Margret asked sipping her tea.

"Soon." Alice answered briskly then gave her sister an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry,

Margret. I haven't really been myself lately." This was true, to an extant of what Margret thought. For days now Alice had been trying to escape the wrath of her mother and Margret inviting her over for tea was the perfect opportunity.

"Maybe Alice can get some tips on being a respectable lady." Alice remembered Ms. Kingsley noting while she talked with their gossiping neighbor, that morning.

"Maybe things would have been easier if..." Margret looked away from her sister all together and checked over her home.

It was a typical English house hold. A small sitting area that lead to the kitchen for ladies to chit chat amongst themselves and a living area for the men to talk and drink. Up the stairs that connected to the living room were two bedrooms, one that Lowell -Margret's husband- and Margret shared and the other for guests or when a baby arrived into their home. Alice had always loved Margret's house. It always had a warm and welcoming sense that made Alice feel safer then she did around her own home lately.

"Things wouldn't be better if I married Hamish. I wouldn't get to travel to China or anywhere like that would I?" Alice replied quietly.

Margret put her cup down and laid her hand over her sister's. "Alice." Margret said calmly. "All I want is for you to be happy. I would do anything to do that." She squeezed

Alice's hand softly "Please. Promise me that your going to be happy."

Alice looked up from her own tea and squeezed her sister's hand in return. "I will Margret. I just think I need some time. I'm really not myself lately."

Margret chuckled softly "Then who are you?"

The question was harder then it was really meant to be for Alice. Who was she now? The Champion of Underland? Or was she just plain old Alice now? The girl who lost her muchness.

"You could never be plain." a voice answered her thought making her smile.

"I guess I'm just me." She answered her sister's question with a grin.

The two sisters continued to talk about little things such as how their mother was doing and books they've recently read. Before either of them had realized it, the sun had already set and Twilight covered their London town.

"I guess I better be getting home." Alice said hugging her sister as they had said their good byes.

The night air was cold but the brisk air kept Alice focused while she made her way down the familiar streets.

This town is like a maze Alice had once said to her sister who merely laughed and disagreed. Margret -who was two years older then Alice herself- knew the town well and thought it would be the most foolish thing to get lost.

Alice had made it to her street when a noise stopped her. It was some sort of clatter like something metal hitting the ground, which wasn't unusual in London. But something was different to Alice. It sounded like someone though it on the ground, maybe that's why it was so loud. Soon her curiosities got the better of her and lead her down an ally.

It was dark, but as Alice took several steps down the ally she began to make out shapes.

Garbage lined the three walls of the ally, giving it a horrid stench that made it hard for Alice to breath.

_Nothing with a nose could live down here _Alice thought covering up her own nose to try to keep away the stench.

She turned fast and started to walk up to the mouth of the ally when a figure appeared and froze facing Alice.

Alice had fought a Jabberwocky; she had tamed a bandersnatch too. But even with those feats behind her, Alice was still afraid of what stood in front of her a bit.

With the light coming from behind them, Alice couldn't see the face. She stepped back but the figure raised its arm towards her and took a step forward. Alice bit her lip and took yet another step back but accidently stepped on a piece of trash and slipped, hearing the quick whoosh of air before landing on her back half in garbage half on the floor. If it comes near me I'll kick it, Alice decided as the foot steps slowed and became more hesitant.

"Miss?" a voice whispered, while a figure appeared over her.

Without thinking, Alice lift her leg and kicked the thing that loomed over her in the gut. As it staggered she kicked again and again with more furiousness. There was a loud crunch then a gasp, followed by a wail of pain.

"Ah! Bloody hell! Why'd you have to kick me in the eye? Ow that stings!" A defiantly human called.

Alice sat up and stared, her eyes getting wider and wider as the seconds ticked by.

Crouched before her was a man about her own age with dark hair that fell over his dark eyes. Or in this case eye. His Left hand covered his other eye.

"You know you've got a hell of an aim." The stranger mumbled turning towards her. "I mean honestly, can't a person just try to help out another person without being-" He looked at Alice's face for the first time. "Wow."

Alice looked away in an annoyed matter. Every where she went lately men of every age would turn their heads to stare at her as if she was some circus animal on display. She always hated it.

"You're Alice Kinsley aren't you?" He asked leaning forward to get a better look at her.

"How do you know who I am?" asked Alice.

"You're the girl who denied that pig Hamish Ascot's wedding proposal." The boy said a matter-of-factly. "God what I wouldn't have given to see the look on his face when a pretty girl like you told him no."

Alice gave the stranger a tiny smile. "Yes that's me. How do you know about it? Were you at that party?"

The stranger gave Alice an are you kidding me look then shook his head. "Me? At an Ascot party? Please. I would rather cut of my right hand then ever be in the same area with that snob. Even though I have to see him every day." The man paused when he saw Alice's confusion." My family owns the house next to them. So I get to see his royal presence every day." He stuck out the hand he wasn't using towards Alice. "Nicholas. Nicholas Peacon at your service ma lady." He bowed with a smirk.

"Alice." She grabbed Nicholas' out stretched hand. "But you seem to know that already."

"Why yes I do." Nicholas grinned "Now Alice why are you, a perfectly lovley lady, out here all alone?"

"Hmm." Alice pondered for a moment then smiled wider "Why are you, Nicholas, out here?"

Nicholas stared dumbfounded at the girl who had kicked him in the right eye. People were right about this girl. She wasn't normal. Most girls would cry and sob about how they were lost and couldn't find their escort. Probably trying to cover up an affair of some sort no doubt. And others would smack him and tell him he was being too forward. But Alice was different, and he liked that.

"Good question." Nicholas stood and held out his hand to her. "Right now I'm going to take you home."

Alice looked at his hand then back at up at Nicholas. What could it hurt? Alice thought and grabbed the man's hand. 'This boy had called her pretty and lovley but he was also strange too. Just like her self.

After that night the two teenagers became inseparable. They didn't go to theater or dinner or go for moon light walks through the park like most boys and girls her age did. Instead they played like they were children. They would go to the park and would lay in the grass for hours just talking about odd things. They stared at clouds and saw shapes out of them and they talked about how annoying they thought their families could be.

Over time Alice had begun to trust Nicholas and while they were sailing back on their ship back to London, Alice told him the only secret she had kept from him since they met. And instead of calling her mad or saying she was a loon like her mother had said when she would even bring up the subject he had questions for her.

"Are there talking animals?" Nicholas asked.

"Yes lots of them." Alice answered.

"And a grand castle?"

"Ruled by a beautiful white queen."

"And parties?"

"Tea parties. Run by the truly mad of course."

"Can you take me there?" Nicholas begged "Please Alice? I want to see this place too."

"Okay." Alice promised "When I return I'll take you with me."

"But how do we get there?"

Alice smiled and whispered into her friend's ear "Down the rabbit hole."

And the two continued to talk about Underland until they finally made it home. Neither of them noticing the blue butterfly that had been following them since they met.


	3. News In Blue

Chapter 3

Mirana pushed the grand doors open wide enough for her to sneak hr narrow frame and great white dress without being detected by any of her subjects as she made her way the garden. In all of Underland the garden was her favorite place. It was calm and peaceful for her. Fountains on either side of her glistened as they poured sparkling blue water through small spouts at the top and shimmered down into the conclave part of the fountain. For a moment she just stood there and took it all in. It was so hard to believe that only a year ago she and her Champion had led their troops to war.

Mirana snapped out of her memory remembering she had a job to do. With un-queen like speed, she made her way down to the garden. Standing before her was one of the oldest trees in her garden. The Cherry blossom tree towered over the small white queen. It's voice grew thin and low with age so now it only gave the garden a soft hum. Pink tinted flowers bloomed on the dark branches as they weaved through each other skillfully. The queen laid her hand on it's old trunk.

"You're a bit late you know." A deep voice told her as the blue butterfly Absolum landed delicately on her wrist.

"I'm sorry." Mirana apologized "I didn't mean to be." The queen lifted her wrist to her face so she could speak eye to antenna with the blue insect. "What news do you have from our champion?"

"Not much." He admitted "She is still a stupid girl."

Mirana sighed quietly with a pang of annoyance. "Tell me Absolum. Has she said anything about returning to us?"

The queen was worried about Underland and felt something dark and dangerous was near. She had hoped her champion could have returned already for personal reasons but had been glad she hadn't yet. Her last wish was for Alice to harm herself here even if there was something dark sneaking around the land. So as a precaution she had sent Absolum to watch over her, even though she hadn't mentioned why.

"You know your highness." Absolum mused "I find it rather strange you have me watch over her so. Has something happened?'

The white queen looked away. "I fear so." she whispered so only the butterfly could hear her. "I fear something is very wrong."

"If I see any danger your majesty I will return to you as fast as possible to tell you personally." Absolum promised.

"Thank you." Mirana whispered and kissed his wings lightly. "Farfairen."

The blue butterfly nodded and fluttered away into the sky. Night's darkness absorbing Absolum's soft blue wings.

"Find her." Mirana whispered and turned to lean against the old cherry blossom. _Yes Absolum _she thought_ something very bad is out there. Maybe.. _She couldn't even bring herself to think such an impossible thought. "It's impossible." Mirana said to her self, letting her head hang low and her white hair fall over her face.

"Only if you believe it is." said a very recognizable voice making the queen look up. He had his hat tipped low covering his face as he held his head down to cover his face as if to hide some emotion. But when he looked up he had no smile on his face. Tarrant Hightopp had no expression at all. Maybe it was shock, or disappointment, or hurt. Or maybe it was a combination of all three. The Hatter didn't scream or walk away either. He crumpled down onto his knees and covered his face.

Mirana gasped and ran to her fallen friend. What could he have seen? Was he sad that she hadn't asked him permission to watch over Alice? Was he angry she hadn't told him? All of these questions blew through her mind as she crouched down next to the Hatter who was now sobbing.

"Tarrant? Please tell me why you're crying. Was it something I've said? Are you angry with me for having him watch over her? Please." Mirana begged putting a hand on his shoulder.

The Hatter looked up with a gapped tooth smile on his face and his cheeks stained with tears. Only three words past his lips but they made the queen understand everything.

"Bring her home."


	4. She's Coming

She's coming back! She's coming back! She's coming back! Hatter couldn't contain himself. Soon his Alice would be home and they could have all the tea parties she wanted. His eyes weren't icy blue anymore but green with happiness and excitement. Something that everyone noticed, but only one little mouse would ask why.

"'Atter?" Mally asked from atop Tarrant's hat. Everyone knew it was the best way to travel.

"Yes, Mally?" He answered joyfully.

"You seem awfully happy these past few days. What's got you in such a good mood?"

The Hatter chuckled "She's coming back Mally."

Mally sighed angrily "I know she's coming back. I told you she is a thousand times ain't I?"

Tarrant smiled broader "She's coming back soon, Mally. I know it."

Mally smiled fondly. "You're starting to sound like Chess."

But even the fact of what Mallyumpkn couldn't ruin his most happiest of moods.

This time Mirana was first before the blue butterfly. She had been walking with some of her subjects when she saw him and asked her companions to be excused before running off to Absolum who was fluttering down to the cherry blossom.

"Absolum." Mirana breathed. "What news do you bring of our Alice?"

"She's coming soon." Absolum told Mirana's he perched on her shoulder.

"Our champion is returning?" The queen asked with a smile on her lips.

"Maybe…" The butterfly whispered then paused. "But I don't think she's coming alone."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"She's told him about us, about Underland. She trusts him."

"Who?" Mirana asked sternly. She never thought Alice would tell anyone about her adventures her. Mostly because she thought no one would believe Alice. She must have truly trust this man.

"Her friend." Absolum said quietly He can lead her to us. He lives near the portal. All we must do now is wait."

Mirana nodded "Thank you Absolum. Keep an eye on her and her friend for me. And please, be safe."

The butterfly whispered a thank you in the queen's ear then fluttered away again, off into the forest.

"What if she brings him here?" Asked a deep voice from above Mirana.

She looked up and saw none other than the Chessur cat sitting on the lowest branch. _Eavesdropping again I see_ thought the queen. "Alice certainly trusts this person. If she chooses to bring him to Underland, then we shall welcome him with open arms."

"But what if his presence causes some what of a . . . disturbance?" Asked the cat with a mischievous grin.

_What if he's right?_ She thought _What if this above Lander is just using Alice?_ Mirana shook her head to clear away those bad thoughts. _No_ she assured herself _Alice knows who she can trust. _"Alice has a good judgment Chess. If she thinks that it's safe for her to bring some one from above down here then its fine with me."

"True." Chessur agreed "But what if someone isn't fond of this friend she may bring?"

"You may not like him?" The queen asked.

"Not me." The cat smiled wider then disappeared all together only leaving the faint memory of his smile.

. . .

"She's coming back isn't she?" a feminine voice asked as she pointed towards the blue butterfly that flew softly in the breeze over head.

"Yes." Replied her companion.

"Should we follow him?" the women asked.

"No. answered the deep voice. "We'll wait. Well wait for her."


	5. Misguided Directions

**I hope you all like! **

Alice pushed the door open quickly and ran threw it clinging the book to her chest without looking back. She was glad she hadn't worn an annoying corset like she usually didn't and this was the reason why. Alice had made it to Nicholas in half the time it would have taken it for her to run if she had a corset on. She smoothed out her blue dress as she smiled at her friend. _Show time _she thought.

"Where do you think your going?" Ms. Kingsley's voice bellowed after her daughter as she appeared in the doorway moments later face flushed and mouth open. "What if Nicholas saw you!" She cried then stopped talking all together when her eyes landed on Nicholas leaning against a lamp post with Alice by his side.

"Hello Ms. Kingsley." Nicholas called with a wave. "You wouldn't mind if I borrowed Alice for a while would you?" Nicholas placed his arm around her waist with a smile.

"Oh. No, no it's fine. Really Nicholas you shouldn't have to ask." Ms. Kingsley called back tugging on the hem of her dress nervously.

"Thank you." Alice and Nicholas said at the same time then turned to go down the street as fast as they could walk until Alice's mother shut the door.

"Okay you can keep your hands to yourself now Nicholas." Alice squirmed out of her friends arm. "Nice touch of putting your arm around me though."

"Really?" Nicholas asked a huge smile spreading over his face, which reminded Alice of Chess. "I thought I would give your mother a show you know? Considering were engaged and all."

Alice rolled her eyes "We are not engaged. Your sounding like my mother now, you know that?"

After Alice and Nicholas returned from China Alice had been unpleasantly surprised with at least seven different suitors for marriage. Alice still didn't want to get married just yet so she and Nicholas had devised a plan that they would pretend to be engaged. At least that's what Alice would keep hinting at with her mother. While her mother anxiously waited the finally yes form her daughter, Alice and Nicholas could spend as much time with each other as they wanted.

"Oh god." Nicholas exclaimed "If I ever to that again. Send me to the nut house. I wish to return to all the best people of society."

Alice laughed "You know that their mad."

"All the best people are, my dear." Nicholas laughed with her.

"What are we doing today?" Alice asked as they walked past the park they had spent so much time in. Children ran around tagging each other and hiding up trees as children do making Alice long to play with her own friends. _I'll be back soon _She told herself _I'll be back soon. I'll be back soon. _

"Well Alice I'm glad you asked that." Nicholas replied pulling a hard left making them go down an empty road.

Why do you say that?" Alice wondered.

"Because my dear today we are going to Wonderland!" Nicholas yelled into the sky where only the birds and clouds could hear them.

"Really?" Alice smiled thinking back to her days in Underland. Tea parties, Mamorial, giant chess battles between queens –that last one wasn't much fun for her but she still remembered- and of course her friends!

_But what about Nicholas? _She thought sneaking at glance at her friend. His dark brown hair was shining under the morning suns rays. His eyes were looking strait ahead but she could tell that he wasn't just thinking of the path ahead. _He's probably thinking about Smiling cats _Alice thought _or maybe the castle he wanted to visit._

Wait. This was truly mad. Nicholas couldn't come with her to Wonderland. He was just an average English boy, he didn't belong in Underland.

_But you're an English girl. _She reminded herself. _You can't tell him he can't go. Look at the way he's smiling. He's excited and you know it. You promised him. _

Alice must have been truly mad. She had just convinced herself to letting Nicholas come with her even though she was supposed to be dead set against it. She really had done it. She was officially mad.

_All the best people are. _That voice reminded her.

"Alice? Nicholas asked hesitantly afraid to be interrupting her thoughts. Alice was a day dreamer and Nicholas had realized that the day he met her but that didn't mean she wasn't any less dear to him. He was Alice and that's what mattered to him.

"Yes?" Alice answered shaking her head in an attempt to wipe away the irritating thoughts.

"You remember where the rabbit hole is right?" Nicholas turned again pulling Alice with him softly by her elbow.

"Of course I do. . ." Alice's voice trailed off as she did in fact try to remember.

"Don't tell me you forgot." Nicholas whined playfully.

"I didn't." Alice protested showing Nicholas the book. "I keep it with me at all times you know. She started flipping through the familiar pages filled with her memories, finally stopping at directions to get to the rabbit hole from Ascot Manor. She held it up for Nicholas to see.

"Well, well" Nicholas mused. "Seems you've thought of everything haven't you?"

The duo made their way to the Manor in silence after that. They didn't have to really say anything unless they felt it was needed. Both were comfortable with silence that allowed their imaginations to take control. While Nicholas thought of the Wonderful world of Underland that Alice had told him so much about, Alice thought about all the friends she had wanted to see.

"You will have to be up there before she is, you know that right Nivens?" Mirana asked leaning down to the little white rabbit.

"Your highness, I know what I'm doing." The rabbit insisted taking his pocket watch out of his pocket.

"I know you do." The queen nodded smiling down on her friend. "Now please hurry."

That was all Nivens had to hear. He turned and dashed down through the garden. With blinding speed the little white rabbit made his way to the door that would lead him up to the rabbit hole to find Alice.

"You positive were going the right way?" Nicholas asked for the third time as they came out into a clearing.

"For the last time, Nicholas, I am." A stuck her nose back into the book hoping that he would believe her. Honestly Alice had no idea where they were going. She had hoped that once they had gotten to the end of the edges of the Ascots property she could find her way threw the directions shed drawn. But that wasn't really working out.

_Where was Nivens when you needed him? _Alice thought as they went around yet another tree.

"Maybe we should start from the beginning." Nicholas suggested.

"Nicholas, I know where I'm going. Alice paused turning the book around in her hands "Sort of."

"Sort of?" Nicholas asked nervously. He had honestly never liked the woods since he had gotten lost there when he was a child. He had playing a game with his friends when he got separated from them. He had called them for what seemed like hours but not a soul answered him back. As the moments ticked by Nicholas had become more and more scared until he finally broke down crying praying help would come. It was funny what things could scare you as a child. He was in the very woods he had been in as a child and he was perfectly fine.

Well nearly fine.

"Maybe it's this way." Alice mumbled as she made her way through the woods.

"Alice, wait up!" Nicholas called. But Alice couldn't hear him.

"Do you think it could be this way?" Alice asked. But there came no answer. She finally looked up and found, Nicholas wasn't by her side and she was alone in the dense forest.

"Nicholas?" Alice called loudly hoping he could find her by her voice.

But all that came back was silence.

_Remain calm Alice_ She thought turning around in circles. Everything looked the same so that wasn't going to help her find Nicholas. She stopped spinning and waited till she could find something that could lead her way.

And that something was a little white rabbit with a blue petticoat and a pocket watch.

"Nivens?" Alice asked happily.

The little rabbit dashed back into the bushes but that's all Alice needed. Suddenly she found herself following the same white Rabbit she had so many years ago, as a child. Following the blur of white and blue which ever direction he went. Because that little white rabbit would finally lead her home.

"Nivens!" Alice called "Slow down!"

But the little rabbit wouldn't. Alice burst through another bush and found herself alone again. "Nivens!" She called "Nicholas!" _I can't be alone again_ Alice thought _I'm so close. _ "Please Nivens! Where are you! I really don't have time for these ga-"Alice had taken a wrong step and now she found her self being falling down the rabbit hole once again.

**Will Nicholas make it to Underland? **

**Will Alice finally be back in Underland to stay? **

**Will the Hatter tell her how he truly feels? **

**All to come in the next chapter. Review please **


	6. Wonderland At Last

This time, Alice didn't scream as she fell down the rabbit hole. Instead she just closed her eyes and held her breath, waiting for her to burst through the ceiling, or rather floor. When she finally did, she landed with a smack onto the hard tiles.

_Some things just never change. _Alice thought to herself as she pushed herself onto her knees and looked around. The chamber she found herself in was the same as it had been the last time she fell. Five doors surrounding her all locked and taunting her to try and pull them open, but Alice's door was smaller and hidden behind the long curtain in the room next to her. She stood and took a deep breath trying to remember exactly what she had to do. Even though she found herself falling into Underland more frequently then the normal person, she still did forget the wonders of her world. Thankfully she had written them into a book the moment she steeped into Lord Ascots' manor and every time she awoke having had a dream about them. She looked around them room and searched for that book now and gasped. It wasn't anywhere in the room, had she dropped it in the tunnel? Or maybe left it in the above land. Just the thought made her heart break, if it had been in the above land she would never get it back, because she swore to herself that she was never going back there again.

She closed her eyes and thought hard about the things in her book, a drink that makes you shrink she thought softly. Opening her eyes and finding the same table sitting in the middle of the room with a key and a tiny glass bottle.

_Drink me. _Read the bottles tag making Alice smile. _Don't mind if I do._ She thought taking the key in hand and a swig of the pishalver's amber colored liquid. She looked down at herself and felt the Key fall from her shrinking hand to the floor. Instead of clattering against the tiles it fell into the soft mesh of her blue dress that was now to large for her to wear. With a sigh she took a piece of the dress and ripped it to wear, so she wouldn't be running through Underland naked.

She spun to the tiny curtain and picked up the now giant dark key to place into the lock, ducking under the curtain she stared at the small door. It was an average door, now only sized for Alice that most people would see in a doll house. But they weren't like Alice and couldn't ever understand the amazing goings on behind it. She pushed the key into the small lock and pushed the door forward, allowing the glorious sunshine and sounds of Underland to greet her.

Alice smiled and pushed it open farther, running out into the air. I'm back! She wanted to scream, knowing that no one was around to hear her. Everyone I'm back! I'm back! I'm back! She spun around looking for anyone she knew then let her face fall. She was completely alone. No one was around to greet her, not even Nivens who she had followed to get through the door. Peculiar to be alone Alice picked up the shreds of her make shift dress and walked around barefoot into Underland.

. . .

All the memories flooded back to her as Alice walked under the tall grasses around her. She'd been here before, a few times actually. But there was always someone waiting for her to take her where she was needed.

_Would I be needed? _Alice thought to herself. The last time she had been here she was Alice, full of muchness and bravery, a girl who had fought the Jabberwocky. Now, she was just here to be with her friends again, but what if she was needed to fight again. _Then I'll fight. _Alice thought determinately. _I'll fight for Underland as long as it needs me. _

A loud snap cut threw her thoughts and made her pause. Another snap then the rustle of leaves, louder this time and nearer. Alice turned and around and around in a small circle trying to locate the sound of this noise when she heard one of two unforgettable voices.

"I got you!" It yelled.

"No you didn't!" The other voice protested.

"I did." It insisted making another snap.

"You didn't!" the other voice yelled as the two came into view. The tweedles were laughing and casing one another, holding sticks and jabbing at one another.

"You're dead." One tweedle yelled as he pushed his stick into the other's side.

"You're supposed to be dead then to aincha?" The other one asked, lunging his stick at the other. The two continued batting at one another until they came dangerously close to Alice nearly steeping on her.

"Hey!" she yelled falling into a patch of tall grass. "Tweedle Dee! Tweedle Dum!"

The two boys stopped and lowered their sticks.

"You hear that?" Asked tweedle Dee.

"I did." Tweedle Dum agreed. "You did too?"

Alice took a deep breath and called again. "Down here!" She called. "By the grass!"

The boys turned and ran over to the grass as instructed and smiled widely as they saw the cause of the sound.

"Alice!" They said in unison jumping down onto their knees to get a better look at her.

"When did you get to Underland?" Tweedle Dee asked.

"And when did you get so small?" Tweedle Dum added.

She had to too get through the door." Tweedle Dee explained. "Remember?"

Tweedle Dum nodded "Oh yea."

"Tweedles!" Alice said loudly, making them turn back to her. "I need to see the Hatter. Can you take me to him?"

"Of course." Tweedle Dum said pushing himself onto his feet.

"Shouldn't we take her to Marmoreal?" Tweedle Dee suggested standing up himself.

"She is awfully small."

Before Alice could say anything Tweedle Dum said. "But how are we supposed to get her there?"

The two got into a discussion about where Alice was supposed to go, and why she had to while Alice just stood there, unable to be heard.

_I'm not letting my path be chosen for me. _ She thought taking a few steps away from the boys and turning to the horizon. With a smile she stuck to fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly, ending the boy's discussion. A few beats of silent s and a small set of footsteps padded along the ground coordinately. A familiar brown head with soft dark eyes appeared from the trail and stopped in front of Alice, his nose sniffing her scent loudly.

"Bayard!" Alice cried petting the dog's nose softly.

"Alice!" He cried sitting up to stare down at her. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come back to stay." She replied walking closer to the hound. "Can you take me to Marmoreal?"

Bayard nodded and leaned his head onto the ground so Alice could climb onto his head. Once she was sitting onto his neck, holding onto his collar she turned back to the Tweedles. "Please bring the hatter and everyone else to the castle okay?" She smiled. "I want to see them as soon as possible."

The boys nodded and made their way into the words, pushing past each other to make it there before the other.

"Ready?' Bayard asked turning toward to warm sun that was directly over head.

"Ready as you are.' Alice replied as the hound took off at a faster speed than any other animal in the above land.

**I'm back! Yes I'm starting this up again. I shall have reviews! Please? **


	7. The Journey Alone

**Chapter 7! I'm tweaking the first chapter and trying to fix my mistakes sorry…**

At some point on her journey, Alice must have dozed off because suddenly she heard a loud creak, the clang of metal and a loud howl. She sat up and clutched onto Bayard's collar tighter as he ducked through the gates of the Marmoreal and into the castle. The entire castle was still dressed in white and silver that made Alice smile as it passed behind her in blurs.

_Nicholas would have loved this place. _Alice thought absentmindedly then remembered. _Nicholas! I left him in the woods! He's probably still there right now, looking for me! _She laid her forehead onto the collar and sighed sadly. Just the thought of Nicholas searching through the woods, calling her name and lost, made tears prick at the ends of her eyes. _Stop it. _She commanded, wiping the tears with the back of her wrist. _Tears won't help him, and he knows how to get back home. He'll just think you got lost or that you're back there. _

But as Alice and Bayard walked through the castle, thoughts of Nicholas drowned into her mind, until they entered the familiar thrown room of Queen Mirana. Alice stood, leaning onto Bayard's head to look at her, as always she looked proper hands up as she stood, her dark lips into a smile and her eyes soft and kind. She was the perfect queen for Underland, and Alice was honored to have fought for her.

"Bayard." Her melodic voice breathed as she crossed the room. "What are you doing here so fast? I thought you were going for a walk."

"I was." Bayard panted. "But I found someone who had to see you." He bowed his head and Alice smiled, waving at the queen with eagerness.

"Alice." She breathed again and smiled wider. "Our champion." She said in a louder voice. "Has returned." She laid a hand for Alice to walk onto so she could be held up. "We've all missed you dearly."

"I've missed you too." Alice whispered feeling tears roll down her cheeks. "Do you think you have any upelkuchen? I want to be able to hug you and everyone else when I see them."

The queen smiled and nodded, and stood making sure Alice was safe in her hand. "Of course, I'll bring you to one of your rooms and I'll have someone bring it to you at once." She turned to one of the ladies who were waiting next to her and nodded once, while the girl took off quickly.

As the Queen took Alice through the halls of the castle, she was very curious to hear of what Alice had been doing in the above lands. Alice told Mirana all about the things that she had done and about the fun she had, had, but how she missed Underland terribly. No matter where Alice would go, Underland would always be her home.

The queen stopped and turned to a pale door in front of her, with a silver handle, looking up and down the hallway as if someone else was there. "This is one of your rooms." The queen told the tiny girl in her hand as she opened the door. "Penelope has left you some upelkuchen, on your bed. She smiled and placed Alice, delicately onto the bed. "I hope you find your things to your liking, there are some dresses for you in your closet too. She stood and went to leave, her hands up and elbows bent as always. "See you soon." She disappeared behind the door silently and left Alice on her bed. Finding the upelkuchen on her pillow, she pulled off a small piece and ate it, returning to her regular size, but naked.

First she ran to the door and locked it, incase someone tried to open it and catch her nude, then turned to the closet that was said to have been filled with dresses for her. As she pulled open the door she gasped at the hundreds of dresses hung up, in front of her. All of them, different colors, patterns, fabrics, lengths, fought for their spots in the closet. With a smile, Alice let her hand stroke against the dresses in a line, slowly.

_Where did they come from? _Alice thought as she pulled out a blue one with a skirt that draped to her ankles and had faint beads that made the bodice sparkle. She didn't even have to ask, she knew. The Hatter must have known she had been returning so he made them for her, it was amazing to see how much work he put into each one, making it different and unique from the rest.

Quickly Alice dressed and picked a pair of blue flats from the bottom shelf of the closet. She turned to look at herself in the three way mirror. The girl staring back had a steady gaze, wise yet still had a faint trace of curiousness. Her blonde hair tumbled down her back in golden tangles and made her skin glow.

_She's beautiful _Alice thought. _I'm beautiful. _

She smiled again and went to unlock the door when a sudden knock made her jump backward. She unlocked it quickly and pulled it open, hoping to see a man with stunning green eyes that she missed so much, but instead saw no one. Closing the door behind her she looked up and down the hallway and rolled her eyes, leaning her back against the wood.

"So." A voice from above her mused. "Our champion has returned to Underland."

Alice smiled wider as a gray tabby cat appeared in front of her, with huge eyes that glowed and an even wider smile.

"Chessur!" Alice cried throwing her hands around the cat and burying her face into he's neck.

"So you remember me?" The cat asked as Alice pulled back.

Alice nodded. "I remember everything, Chess. I've missed you so much."

The Cheshire cat smiled, "I'm glad." He purred. "And I'm quite eager to hear of all the things you've been doing." He pointed up. "Up there."

Alice smiled wider. "I'm going to tell everyone when they get here." She replied as she started walking down the hall. "What have _you_ been up too while I've been gone?"

Chessur disappeared and reappeared in front of her, "You know this and that. Attending rather boring tea parties sometimes, and disappearing to hear about what you've been doing."

"You've been eavesdropping?" Alice mused, unsurprised, trying to ignore his comment about the boring tea parties. "What have you heard?"

"That you've made a new friend." Chessur winked as he floated by Alice. "You've told him about Underland too."

Alice blushed slightly and looked away. "Yes. Is that not allowed?"

The cat shrugged. "No, I don't think so, but the queen thought you would bring him here."

Alice sighed and whispered. "I was."

Chessur's eyes widened. "Then where is he?"

"I fell." Alice whispered. "And I left him."

The cat's face fell and he put a hand on Alice's shoulder. "He'll be fine." He told her certainly. "At least he's up there, if he was down here…" Chessur's voice trailed off but Alice knew what he was saying. If he was down here then he could have been seriously hurt, or even eaten, but he was safe in the Above land, far away.

Even though that Alice hadn't known him for long, Nicholas was one of her dearest friends, like the ones she had in Underland. He had helped her while she was in trouble with her mother and he had believed her about Underland, for that she would always be grateful. Always.

Alice paused at a door that was ajar and pushed it open slightly, behind it was Mirana, looking out of a telescope down to Underland. Alice pushed the door open wider and slipped through the crack to talk to the queen while Chessur followed, above her. Alice paused next to the queen, leaning onto her arms and looking out over all of Underland. It was breathtaking how beautiful it was and how big it was, Alice could stay here forever and she could never discover all the amazing things shed seen. The queen smiled and pulled away from her telescope gesturing it to Alice.

"Take a look." She suggested taking a step back; reminding Alice of the first time she had been here, with Mirana and the telescope. Her memory continued as she looked through the telescope and saw a very familiar man with wild orange hair and a large unmistakable hat. On top of it was a small mouse, looking down at the Hatter and next to him was a crazy brown rabbit, which was jumping quickly and spastically. In front of them where the tweedles who were fighting of wild branches with there sticks. Then something blue blocked her view and made Alice pull back to see what it was. Standing on the end of the telescope was a blue butterfly with a small hookah in hand.

"Absolum." Alice recognized.

"I'm Absolum, stupid girl." The butterfly said in the same deep voice the caterpillar owned.

"I know." Alice replied raising her hand for him to walk on. "I'm Alice."

"You still are." He agreed blowing a small puff of smoke from his mouth. "You came alone, didn't you?"

Alice nodded. "Yes, I did." She looked out against the sky, the blue color draining from it and leaving a swirl of pink and orange by the setting sun. "I came alone."

. . .

"She did come back." The high voice whined unhappily. "Sooner then we thought too."

"Sooner is better." The masculine voice snapped. "Now we won't have to wait."

She gasped. "You know what we're doing?"

"Of course." He answered automatically. "I always do."

**Chapter 7 over! Hope you liked! She's back! Review? Please! **


	8. A Whistle Through The Night

**Chapter 8! Yay! **

Absolem fluttered onto Alice's finger gracefully as she pulled her hand away from the telescope and onto the ledge.

"You've been following me." Alice whispered. "Haven't you?"

Absolem nodded and looked over at the horizon, blowing more blue smoke from his Hookah, "You've been accomplishing much, haven't you?"

Alice nodded back, still staring out away from the castle, waiting. He was close now, closer then he had been before yet time was still being cruel and going agonizingly slow so she would have to be patient.

Absolem smiled faintly and turned fluttering his wings effortlessly and disappearing into the darkening sky, while Alice, Mirana and Chessur watched silently.

For some reason, a certain memory popped into Alice's mind, it was one of her favorites of her and Nicholas as they spent their time in China. When they had gotten separated in the crowd, they didn't know where the other one was so they had to wait hours before they found each other at the boat. Once they where there they had sat at the end of it, letting their feet dangle of the edge and watching the waves crash against the side of the boat.

"_You know what." Nicholas had said as the wind blew his dark hair around his face. "I know a way that when ever we get lost we can find each other." _

"_How? Alice asked. _

"_Like this." He struck two fingers into his mouth and blew hard making an ear piecing whistle. He let his hands drop and turn to Alice with a smile. "Okay, now you try." _

_Alice nodded and stuck her fingers in her mouth as he had making a low, spitting sound at first but when she got the hand of it, it was as loud as Nicholas, and then even louder. _

_Nicholas smiled. "The student has become the master." _

_He and Alice laughed after wards and started practicing their whistles. From then on when ever one was lost the other would whistle loud so they could find each other where ever. _

_Why didn't I hear a whistle, today? _Alice thought annoyed. If Nicholas and herself had gotten lost, Nicholas would have whistled, but Alice, didn't hear anything. Or maybe she wasn't listening. The thought didn't go away for a while and made her constantly think about how wrong it was to leave him in the woods, but it was too late now. Now she was in Underland, with her friends, with _him_. Alice's eyes closed as she tried to sort her thoughts of her hatter, she had missed him most of all, and had many pages filled with things about him, but they would never be remotely close to the real thing. If only he could just know that she was here waiting, maybe he would come here faster, the idea was mad, and wonderful and perfect for Alice to know what she could do. With a slight smile, Alice stood up strait and placed the two fingers in her mouth, just like she always had.

The sound that came out was loud, and that hurt Alice's ears a little to hear, but she kept blowing. Her sound echoed across the Underland for all to hear and made Alice smile, that somewhere down there was her Hatter listening.

. . .

The Hatter was not in the best of moods. It had been months since he had learned that Alice would be returning back soon and yet she still hadn't. _What's she been doing up there?_ The Hatter would think constantly as he waited for his blonde haired princess to return. And now when the Tweedles came and ragged him, Thackery and Mally off to Marmoreal for some secret reason, it hadn't helped much at all.

Thackery froze from taking another jump on the bare path, making everyone stop and turn to him. He had one ear cocked up and another ear lower to the ground looking, slightly odder then usual.

"Thack?" The hatter asked turning to his friend.

"Shh!" The rabbit pressed his fingers to his mouth and leaned his head down lower.

The Hatter looked up at Mally, who was hanging from his hat with yellow eyes. Mally shrugged and looked back to the March Hare, and waited.

The Tweedles stopped too, a little feet away and stared at the odd rabbit that hadn't moved much at all.

"Do you hear t-that?" The March hare asked jumping farther down the path.

"'ere what?' Mally asked, reaching for her needle.

"A w-whistle." Thackery replied jumping farther down the path so the hatter and the Tweedles had to run to catch up with him.

"What whistle?" Hatter asked catching up with his mad friend.

"A whistle." The rabbit repeated jumping out into a clearing so that Marmoreal could be seen. The great white castle towering over the forest through the black night and looking as regal as ever. As they walked closer, Hatter could detect some small sound. It was a high pitch, like the whistle that Thackery had talked about and as they got closer the noise got louder.

"Why do we 'ave to come to Marmoreal anyway?" Mally asked, sitting down on the brim of Tarrant's hat. "Come on Tweedles, tell us."

The Tweedles looked at each other. "She never said we couldn't tell 'em. " Tweedle Dee noted.

"And we haven't told em yet." Tweedle Dum agreed

Tweedle Dee nodded. "So why tell now and ruin the surprise?"

"Exactly." They said in unison.

Mally rolled her eyes while the Hatter continued on, the whistling getting louder, with ever step. Finally they reached the gates and entered, the whistling noise growing exceedingly loud, and then suddenly stopped. The group looked around all thinking about what had made such a noise, a bird perhaps or some solider practicing with Bayard, all had different guesses.

The Hatter started to go into the castle, with the Tweedles and The march Hare behind him, but a small and annoying puff of smoke interrupted as they entered.

"What are you doing 'ere you slurvish feline?" The hatters Scottish broad covering each word thickly.

"Just suggesting you go that way." The cat replied pointing toward the garden.

"Why would 'ay do that?" The Hatter asked crossing his arms over his chest.

"Because you can see what you want quite well." Replied the cat lazily while he disappeared beyond a puff of smoke.

The Hatter sighed and stomped over to the edge of the garden, cursing under his breath, low enough so only he could be the one to hear. He stepped out into a familiar garden with hedges that formed a grand maze, dotted with flowers here and there.

He looked around then sighed angrily, _that's what ye get when ye listen to a cat _He thought angrily as he walked into the castle, but a voice, made him freeze like Thackery and take a few steps back.

"I told them where to go." The cats voice sounded from above him as he looked strait up, to the balcony, but was unable to see who he was talking too.

"Thank you, Chessur." Mirana's voice sounded sweetly from above. "Let's go down and meet them."

"Great." A sweet third voice said and made Hatter blink, trying to figure out if it was really her, or if it was just his imagination. Foot steps sounded and grew fainter as they disappeared, and Hatter waited, his eyes glowing a light green.

Large doors opened in front of him, and took his breath away as he laid his eyes on his golden haired maiden.

**Okay...I think this story is kind of suckish…idk if I should continue because I have another story I'm working on but, I wanna know what you think. Review? **


	9. Falling More Than Once

**Okay I rewrote this chapter…let's say ****a lot!**** It took me a while so I hopes you enjoy! **

Alice blinked at the people in front of her or at one person in particular. The Hatter -her Hatter hadn't changed at all from how she remembered him. His clothes were still a colorful blend of all colors and his hat was still worn as it always had been with Mole perched on its brim, but his eyes. The stunning could tell exactly what he was thinking because at the moment, she was thinking the exact thing herself.

_Is he truly there? If I blink will he disappear like he always had in my dreams?_ _No, Alice. _She thought joyfully and smiled. _He's real and you're back, you're finally home. _

Alice's smile grew wider, a grin that would make the Chessur cat proud and just stared at her friend, who ironically enough hadn't shared her emotion. Instead his eyes grew darker, going from glorious gold to a dark and blazing crimson, that Alice and everyone else in Underland knew meant the Hatter was about to Tick off into one of his mad fits. He placed a hand on his sword and in a flash it was out, pointed directly at Alice.

Alice wanted to run to her friend and tell him that everything would be fine, but instinctively took a step back from the blade, nearly bumping into Mirana who had appeared –graceful as ever- behind her. Luckily the queen moved out of Alice's path at the last second and was now at her side, laying a gentle hand on her arm. A sad knowing look, on her beautiful pale face.

"Tarrent." The queen said, her hand tensing a bit on her champion. "Please relax yourself."

"Why should ay?" The Hatters deep Scottish broad completely disguised the soft protective voice Alice craved.

"Hatter." Alice whispered urgently, knowing that she had done this to him. "It's me."

The Hatter froze at the first sound of Alice's voice, his eyes turning into a faint pale green. "Alice?" He said softly, testing the familiar tingle on his lips as he said her name.

"Yes," Alice breathed taking a step closer to him. "I'm back."

Hatter raised his sword doubtfully. "For how long?" It wasn't a question, but more of a dark accusation, that made Alice's heart break.

She couldn't show him that though, she took a deep breath and walked closer to her friend surprisingly steady for how unsure she was on the inside. She finally stopped about a foot and a half away from the Hatter, whose tip of the sword pressed tensely against her throat.

"I'm never going back." She promised calmly, her eyes pleading for the Hatter's understanding. "I'm so sorry I left you, and I want you to know I'll never do it again. I'm done with the things that I needed to do up there, and I'm ready to stay here." She placed her hand lightly on the blade, pushing it down gently. "With you and everyone else."

Alice closed her eyes and willed her words to work, wondering if she should have stopped after and you.

_But he your friend _a small voice whispered. _He's your friend the Hatter, falling in love was truly mad. _Maybe that was true, she had never really thought of what she would actually do in Underland if she fell in love, especially not with the Hatter, she had just ignored that small little detail when she dreamed. He was her dearest friend after all, why would she ruin it if things ended badly?

When Alice opened her eyes the Hatter's dark hate filled ones gone and the glowing green ones taking their place. He smiled his gaped tooth smile and dropped his weapon onto the cobble steps with a faint clang, throwing his arms around Alice and not willing to let go.

Alice felt tears prick at the ends of her eyes but she didn't care, she smiled and wrapped her arms around The Hatters neck, burying her face into his unruly and soft red hair.

. . .

"What have you been doing up there?" Hatter asked curiously leading Alice down a long corridor. His left arm was looped through her right and his grin competed in size with Chessur's.

Alice shrugged returning her friends smile with one of her own. I've gone to China, met new people including my friend Nicholas, and visited my family."

Hatter kept smiling, ignoring the pang of jealousy that he felt when Alice said Nicholas. Thousands of thoughts filled his head madly, each fighting to be freed and ask Alice who he was, and if she loved him. What if he was in love with someone whose heart belonged to someone else? He couldn't bare to wait, and finally asked. "Who's Nicholas?"

Alice smiled wider as she always did when she was talking about her friend. "He's a dear friend." She paused looking shyly at Hatter incase she had said too much, the last thing she wanted to do was upset him. When he didn't scream, or pull himself away from her Alice continued. He helped me a lot while we were in China, and he's taught me a lot." They turned left and walked out of a doorway that lead out to the Balcony that held many memories for both of them. As they walked to the edge she laid her hands onto the railing and sat onto the edge to get a better view of Underland under night's shadow. "He taught me how to whistle." She placed two fingers into her mouth and blew creating a high pitched squeal that made the Hatter laugh. "He taught me how to draw a bit too, although I don't I'll ever be as good as him. And he thinks the way people do things there are…odd. Like me." She smiled. "He reminds me of you a lot." She closed her eyes and thought all about the two of them together, playing games on the boat, laying in the grass and making shapes out of the clouds over head, and finally her running from him in the woods.

Hatter grinned at being reminded off when she saw Nicholas. But that wasn't the only reason he smiled, he was also a bit glad that Nicholas was up there and Alice was down here, all for him, even if that did sound a bit selfish he didn't mind. But his smile didn't last as he saw Alice's expression. "Alice?"

Alice shook her head and turned back to the Hatter, putting on a smile that he saw through. He placed a bandaged finger against her cheek lightly and pulled it back, scowling confusingly at his now wet finger.

Alice looked away, mortified that she had cried over such a stupid thing. She was in Underland with her Hatter, and they were having the nicest conversation but now she was crying useless tears about how Nicholas was safe above land.

She could feel Hatter staring at her, waiting for her to say something and with a sigh she whispered. "I left him. I shouldn't have but I did, just like. . ." She paused looking at Hatter who already knew what she was going to say.

"Don't cry." He pleaded, placing a hand over her's, as he jumped up onto the railing next to her. "He's probably safer up there, you know that."

Alice blinked, having known that exactly and smiled. "You always know what to say don't you?"

The Hatter's smile returned, ignoring what Alice had said because it was completely untrue. He still was unable to tell her exactly how he felt about her.

Alice sighed and moved closer to him, leaning her head back and gazing up at the night sky filled with twinkling stars. She leaned back a bit farther, trying to see over the castle walls, a bit farther then; she had the sensation of falling, like down the rabbit hole, except now she was falling of the ledge.

**Okay what do you think? It did take me a while to word this chapter right so I want to know how I did? Ehh? Good? Bad? Review!**


	10. Torn Down The Middle

**Chapter 10! Ready, set, Read!**

Alice watched as her Hatter became more and more distant from her, his bandaged hand reached out to catch any part of her, her hand her leg, her dress anything to stop the unimaginable from happening, but he couldn't get a good enough grip on anything and his blue angel fell of the ledge and down to the earth.

She didn't scream, like she had so many times when she fell down the Rabbit hole, instead she just stared up at the night sky's twinkling stars, so far away and getting farther as she fell. It was as if some part of her ha acknowledged that she was dying and now, wanted the last thing Alice would see before she closed her eyes forever, to be the stars. Maybe because that's one of the things that she could always share with her old life, the stars would never stop shining here or there, even if she stopped being able to see them shine.

Alice closed her eyes tightly, waiting for her to feel the siring pain as she hit the cold stone below her. Her back breaking, her heart stopped, oxygen leaving her lungs, no matter how much she would gasp for them to return.

But the impact never came, suddenly, Alice felt warm arms surround her and she couldn't feel air pushing the back of her skull. Instead air pushed on the other side of her head and when Alice opened her eyes she saw that she was on the ground. She looked around quickly, trying to make sense of what had happened when she felt the arms around her tighten and make her look up.

Holding her was the boy with the messy brown hair and the deep dark eyes, with a small smile on his face.

"We have _got_ to stop meeting like this." He told her, his smile getting wider by the minute.

"Nicholas?" Alice whispered, blinking rapidly. What was he doing here? Had she died?

Had her returning to Underland been one of her beautiful dreams?

"Who'd you expect?" Nicholas asked pushing back one of her blonde curls behind her ear. "I couldn't let you just leave me up there in the land of the boring while you had all the fun."

Alice stared at her friend open mouthed. "How did you get here?"

"Here on the ground or here in Wonderland?" Nicholas asked playfully. "Because I'm here on the ground because I had to save you."

Alice laughed shakily, extremely nervous about how Nicholas had gotten here, Alice hadn't ever heard of an above lander coming to Underland but she didn't know if the laws were against it or not. "No, I mean here in Underland."

"I followed your directions." Nicholas smiled mischievously. There really easy to understand when I don't have to chase you around the forest."

"I'll have to remember that next time we're trying to find Underland again." Alice promised.

"Great. He stared at Alice a bit anxiously. "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you when we landed did I?"

Alice shook her head, a smile on her lips. "I'm fine, are you?"

Nicholas shrugged looking around. I think I am, but I don't think I can move."

Alice panicked. "You can't? Why? Are you hurt?"

"Alice, relax." Nicholas told her, "I can't exactly move because you're still on top of me."

Alice glared at Nicholas then pushed herself off him, landing onto her knees and pulling Nicholas up by his hand. "There, it's a miracle."

"Hallelujah." Nicholas laughed and gave Alice a surprise hug, which she returned with just as much enthusiasm.

"I missed you so much." He whispered pulling her close to him.

"Me too." Alice whispered back. "You worried me so much."

"You worried? Nicholas pulled back, holing Alice's hand. "I thought you fell down the wrong hole and hit your head onto a rock or something."

Alice laughed a genuine laugh. "I'm glad you have so much faith in me."

Both of them laughed happily, ecstatic to be back in each other's company, when there was a sliding sound and the indistinguishable sound of a blade being whipped through the clean cut air.

Both of them turned their heads and saw the Hatter, holding his sword in front of him, his eyes a darker red then before, but with a tint of orange in the mix.

Alice's eyes widened as she pulled her hand back from Nicholas' and reaching for his elbow instead, pulling both of them up quickly. "Hatter…"

Nicholas took as step back, Alice not even daring to release her grip on him. "Alice, is this _the_ Hatter?"

The Hatter didn't move from his dangerous stance as they talked about him like he was some famous person, but Alice did nod softly. "Yes, you read about him in my book didn't you?"

Nicholas nodded slowly. "Yes, but its not going to be the easiest identifying everyone since you hardly put any pictures in it." He narrowed his eyes curiously. "But his eyes aren't green, like you said."

Alice nodded again. "I don't think he's very happy to see you here." Alice skillfully darted the reason why he wasn't happy to see Nicholas, knowing it as clearly as the hat on top of Tarrant's head.

Nicholas sighed. "I was afraid you were going to say that."

"Ay, you should be." The Hatter said, speaking for the first time, his Scottish brood seemed even more venomous then before. "You slurvish-"

"Hatter!" Alice yelled pushing pas the sword and placing both hands on her friends face. She was not in the mood for the Hatter to be yelling at her friend and cursing in ways that even Alice didn't understand half the time. "This is Nicholas, my friend." She spoke calmly as if she was talking to a frightened cat that might scratch her. "He just saved my life, can you please not yell at him?" Her eyes pleaded with the Hatter's, whose sword was still pointed at Nicholas. Alice sighed and laid one of her small ivory hands over his bandaged one. "Please."

The Hatters sword fell to the ground with a loud clang.

**Yes…it's short…I'm kinda busy and I has writers block! Grrr!**


	11. Friendly Competition

**This is coming back, sorta kinda…idk yet**

"Is your friend always that quiet?" Nicholas asked curiously turning blindly down a hallway as Alice followed a few paces behind. "Or is it just when he meets new people?"

"I think its just you," Alice said with a grin, looking behind her in hopes that The Hatter had decided to come with them instead of leaving once Mirana had allowed Nicholas to stay in Underland, and in her castle none the less. Alice and Nicholas were extremely ecstatic, mostly because they could be together in the world that they both had long to go to, but now she had realized that The Hatter may not have been as happy for Nicholas to be here as she was. But even now as he was probably miles away from her and she was with Nicholas, the thought nagged at her and the question was left unanswered in the madness that was her mind.

"Hello?" Nicholas asked, his face inches away from hers. His dark gray eyes were wide with playfulness and curiosity and he stared into Alice's questioningly and almost, anxiously?

"What?" Alice said taking a step back and crossing her arms over her chest defensively, another uncharacteristic thing for herself to do.

"Are you alright?" Nicholas said placing a hand on Alice's shoulder. "You seem, un Alice-y."

"That's not a word." Alice said sticking her tongue out at him as she started walking down the long white corridor of the white queen's castle. "And I'm fine, why would I be?"

Nicholas shrugged, running up behind her and trying to keep up with her quick pace. "I don't know, you just seem different today." He smiled crookedly. "You know what's funny?"

"What?" Alice asked.

Nicholas grinned wider. "This is one of the first times that I haven't challenged you to a race when we were alone."

Alice stopped with a smile of her own. It was true hat she had Nicholas had had a history of racing between them, it was one of their favorite things to do together and they used to do it in the park all the time, but it wasn't the first time that he hadn't challenged her to a race. The first time was only a few hours ago, but it seemed like a whole other life time, while they were walking to the Ascot estate. Alice looked behind her then in front of her, then back at Nicholas, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"You sure you can keep up with me?" Alice challenged playfully.

Nicholas eyes widened and he turned himself into the starting position, both arms out next to him. "I was just about to ask you the same thing."

"Ready?" Alice said, bracing herself. "One, Two,." Both of them ran before Alice started the third number and ran quickly, sometimes skipping, running and just happy to be with one another again.

**Shortie but I'm trying to get this started, tell me what you think. Review **


	12. What goes On Beyond Closed Eyes

**Okay, I have read your reviews and I agree that Alice is kind of acting a little less Alice-ey…so I'm trying to fix that! Hopefully I succeed. **

"I won," Alice said with a grin, leaning against her door as Nicholas stopped next to her panting and smiling along with her.

"Did not," Nicholas protested. "You know I won."

"In your dreams." Alice said with a roll of her eyes. This is what she really missed about Nicholas, the fun she had with him; he made her feel like she was a kid again, instead of a proper woman in London.

"Want to race again?" Nicholas asked, leaning closer to Alice so she could feel his hot breath on her cool face.

Alice's eyes widened as she placed a hand on her friend's chest and pushed her friend back strongly and cocked her head to the side. "I'm actually really tired Nicholas," She lied coolly. "But I'll beat you tomorrow alright?"

"Okay…" Nicholas voice trailed off as he smiled wider, ruffling his friends hair before turning around and walking off down the hall to his room, leaving Alice alone in the pale hallway to watch after her friend disappeared behind a corner.

"You don't seem very tired to me," a voice mused making Alice whip her head around and come face to face with a furry cat.

"Why do you say that?" Alice asked, crossing her arms over her chest a bit defensively.

The cat shrugged and spun his head around while his body stayed in place before disappearing into a sudden puff of smoke and appearing on the other side of her. "You aren't are you?"

"You seem to be quite curious tonight." Alice noted, scratching the gray cat behind his ears. "But I'm honestly tired chess, I'll see you tomorrow." She turned and opened her door, closing it with out hesitation before changing a soft blue night gown and crawling into her giant bed to fall into a night of bad dreams.

. . .

Falling, but no things around me, just blackness. I can't see my hand, I can't hear myself scream, I can't even tell if I am. Which way is up, which is down, endless falling.

"Help!"

Silence.

I scream again, I try to imagine I'm somewhere else, any where else. Somewhere brighter, somewhere warmer, somewhere I'm not alone, but all there is, is more blackness.

Alice jerked up in bed, with a gasp, her hand flying to her face as she felt warm tears stream down her cheeks. She had, had her nightmares before but never that bad, this one was just endless falling, like down the rabbit hole only without the wonderful destination at the end, just falling and falling and falling, with no where to go.

Alice sighed and pushed her blankets away from her, padding barefooted out into the dimed hallway. She pushed the door open silently and slid free from her dark chamber, walking aimlessly through the dark until she ended up in a room with high ceilings and an entire window made of glass.

The library's walls were filled with books, all white with tints of gold, silver and blue but never two of the same. There was a grand fire place that covered one wall, and a small sofa and table for tea to be sat on. To one corner of the room rested a grand ebony piano that Alice had always longed to learn to play but never acquired the patience to do so. Walking into the room, Alice let her eyes wander the wide variety of books around her. This library was even larger then the one in Ascot Manor, which had been ne of the largest libraries Alice, had ever been in. But this made it look like a small closet filled with books.

Pale moonlight glinted through the clear glass and gave the large room light, while Alice picked up a book at random.

Flipping through the pages absentmindedly, Alice was pleasantly surprised that there were nearly pictures on every page. This was the kind of book that she had always loved to read when she was a child. She remembered how she and her father would sit under an old cherry blossom tree in their backyard and read through her books all the time.

With a smile Alice pulled up her legs close to her as she sat down on the couch and read through the thick book slowly, her eyes getting heavier with every word before finally Alice closed them and leaned her head on the arm rest of her seat.

Someone pushed open the door that was left slightly askew from Alice's entrance and with a soft gapped tooth smile; the Hatter lifted up his angel and brought her back to her room, slightly afraid that she would awake as he did. But luckily Alice was utterly lost into her dreams.

**Sweet kind of moment here, even if Alice was asleep and having Night mares. Still it was cute! Review and please give me some pointers because I feel like I'm missing the obvious…I always had that issue, lol. **


	13. Interruptions

**Short but kind of sweet and awkward **

Alice's eyes fluttered as someone e knocked at her bedroom door. Alice yawned and jumped out of bed, pulling it open and finding The Hatter at her door, hand still poised in the air from when he was knocking on her door.

He smiled. "I was wondering if you would let me escort you to breakfast," He looked down at her night gown and smiled wider. "You like the night gown?"

Alice nodded, and smiled. "I'd love to go to breakfast with you, just let me change." Alice closed the door and ran over to her closet, sorting through the hundreds of dresses that had been made by he very person who was waiting for her outside. She ended up pulling out a light blue gown tat stopped at her ankles and had a bodice threaded with small shining beads that cast rainbows when the sunlight hit them. Alice ran a soft brush through her hair and opened the door, smiling at her friend who was wearing another unique outfit that only he could come up with, his read hair escaping from his signature hat in tangled waves.

"Ready to go?" Alice asked as she shut the door behind her.

Hatter smiled and nodded, jumping to her side as the walked down to the dining room.

"What would you like to do today?" Alice asked as they turned down into another white hallway.

Hatter shrugged, his gapped tooth smile never leaving his face, "I haven't the slightest idea, what about you. Would you like to go to a tea party, or maybe go to the forest for a nice walk in the sunlight, or maybe-"

"Hatter," Alice said with a smile as she laid a hand on his shoulder, sending tingles up his arm and making his smile waver slightly as his green eyes met her soft brown ones. "Why don't we just go visit Mallyumkn and Thackery, Nicholas really wants to meet them."

It took all of The Hatter's strength not to let his smile disappear of his eyes change color, but they did flash a sudden red before going back to green and he hoped that Alice didn't notice.

"There you two are," Another voice interrupted as he ran down the hallway and stopped next to Alice and the hatter. Nicholas was smiling, like he always did and was wearing a white shirt and black trousers, his brown hair unbrushed but he didn't really seem to mind. "I've been looking all over for you both."

"Why were you looking for us?" Alice asked, her hand still staying on the Hatter's shoulder as she turned to her friend.

"Queen Mirana isn't going to start breakfast without her champion and one of her most fierce warriors is she?" Nicholas grinned. "Come on, every bodies waiting."

Alice blinked and nodded pulling her hand back from the Hatter's shoulder and turning to him. "He's right." What was that in his angel's voice? Regret? "Let's go,"

Alice turned around and started walking down the hallway, she paused and turned seeing that the Hatter wasn't following but just staring after her.

"Hatter?" Alice asked softly, but loud enough for the Hatter to shake his head quickly and run after her and Nicholas, wondering if possibly he had been the one to lose his muchness.

**Dang it Nicholas Stop interrupting! Lol review and tell me if you dislike Nicholas as much as I do. **


	14. Past, Present and, Future

**Chapter 14, start reading! And enjoy, **

Queen Mirana was waiting outside of the dining room for her last minute guests. Her white hair fell down past her shoulders like a beautiful white waterfall and on top of her head was her beautiful silver crown that had been returned to her on the battle felid. Her hands were actually down at her sides and her pale eye lids shut, when The Hatter, Alice and Nicholas came towards her Alice's eye widened. The queen had never looked more relax before; she was usually so proper and collected.

The trio must have made a noise because Mirana's eye lids opened and raised her hands with a warm smile on her dark lips.

"Our champion, Tarrent and Nicholas," She said warmly. "We've been waiting."

"We know your majesty." Alice said with a smile of her own. "If I'd known you were waiting for us I'm sure we would have gotten here much sooner."

The queen smiled wider and walked over to her champion, laying a hand delicately on her cheek. "Its fine," She reassured, as she turned around and the guards at the ends of the doorway opened the double doors that lead into the elaborate white dining room, filled with guests of matching color.

Everyone stood at the table, hands at their sides and smiles on their pale faces as Mirana entered, quickly gesturing for her friends to follow.

"Thank you all for waiting," Mirana announced proudly, her voice having a slight tone of regal and strength and at the same time a sweet warm motherly feeling, that Alice had always loved of her friend. "I am very pleased to announce that joins us this morning are Tarrent Highttop, who fought on the Frabcious day, our champion Alice and one of her friends from the above land Nicholas." She gestured to the people around her as servants pulled out chairs for the queens late guests and sat down. "Now without further adieu, breakfast is served."

Alice smiled and sat down on the queen's right as The Hatter sat, slightly unhappily on her left. Nicholas sat on the other side of Alice, with a grin and was able to speak to Alice in a lower tone that made their conversations more private.

Alice picked up a cake of some sort and some eggs beside a drink of some pink liquid. All of Underland's food tasted like a dream the food she'd eaten in London couldn't compare.

"This food is amazing." Nicholas whispered to Alice before talking a sip of a slightly thick golden liquid.

Alice nodded and looked over at the Hatter who had been watching them since they sat down. He gave her a quick gapped tooth smile that sent an odd tingle up Alice's spine, which she didn't really understand. She smiled back and picked up one of her cups in a cheers motion as he did the same, while the queen looked away, a small secretive smile on her face.

"Nicholas," The queen said softly and Alice and hatter's head turned to Mirana's direction. "I'm quite curious to know how you met our champion."

Nicholas smiled and put down his cup, turning to the queen and giving Alice a quick wink. "That's actually a funny story; Alice would you like to tell it?"

Alice shrugged and nodded. "I was walking home from my sisters house when I had heard this noise coming down from an ally, I don't know why but I felt like it was something I should check on and when I went down there and there was nothing, I turned to go back but someone was standing in the ally with me."

"I saw her go in and I thought it was extremely odd so I followed her." Nicholas continued. "She took a step back and fell so instantly I ran to her and asked if she was alright, but instead of answering me she kicked me in the face."

The Hatter smiled wider, and laughed, his mad sort of laugh while Alice turned a bit flushed that Nicholas had told that part of the story.

"I wouldn't have kicked you if you hadn't scared me." She insisted while shooting a glare at Nicholas.

"How could I have scared you?" Nicholas asked. "I was just asked if you were alright."

"You didn't ask until you were only a few inches from me." Alice countered. "And all I could see was this dark figure trapping me in an ally, what would you have thought?"

"I would have thought, oh look it's Nicholas, he's a nice chap I'm sure he can help me in this predicament." Nicholas said with a grin.

"But I didn't know who you were or if you were Nicholas." Alice pointed out.

"So if you knew I was me you wouldn't have kicked me in the eye?" Nicholas asked cocking his head slightly to the side.

Alice paused and thought for a moment, then smiled. "No I still would have."

The Hatter smiled wider, so his Alice hadn't lost her muchness and was the same girl she had been when she left, that was very good news, but had the Hatter changed? That was an entirely different issue.

"After that night," Nicholas continued to the Queen. "Alice and I have been the best of friends; we even went to China together."

"How was China?" The Queen asked intently.

"Better then I imagined." Alice said with a smile at the memories she and Nicholas had shared. "We saw so many interesting sights and people; it's where Nicholas taught me how to whistle."

Nicholas nodded and placed two fingers in his mouth and blew a sharp low whistle emphasis before he spoke. "And when we came back we had to deal with something even more frightening then The Jabberwocky."

Alice nodded and rolled her eyes. "To Nicholas at least, my mother was up to her old ways of trying to get me to be courted."

The Hatter froze and stared between Alice and Nicholas with crimson eyes, resting on Alice before asking in a rather Scottish slur. "'nd did she succeed?"

Alice eyes widened and she turned to the hatter, her eyes filled with shock and dismay.

"Not in the least," She sighed, hoping that her words could calm over one of the Hatter's mad fits. "I turned down all of her suitors just like I had Hamish."

The queen cocked her head delicately to the side. "Who?"

"A pompous lord who thinks that he can have anything he wanted just because he had a rich family." Nicholas said scowling at his food. "And after Alice returned from Underland she denied his marriage proposal."

The Hatters eyes returned back to a dark green as he looked at Alice who was nodding softly with Nicholas' words. "But once we returned to England, and found out about the suitors for Alice," Nicholas continued. "We decided top pretend to be engaged."

"As long as she thought that we were to be engaged then we could spend as much time as we wanted together." Alice agreed, staring into the Hatters green eyes as she smiled. But now that were here, we can just be like we were in China, best friends."

"No more pretending.' Nicholas said with a smile. "It's a shame too; I bet your mother was already picking out your wedding dress."

Alice laughed, and the Hatter laughed too along with Nicholas. And after breakfast was over, Nicholas Alice and Hatter all went outside ready to set off for a tea party of the maddest sorts.

. . .

"So we're going to use him then." The woman said cocking her head to the side. "That's a rather simple plan isn't it?"

"Does it matter how complicated the plan is?" The man snapped, running a hand trough his filthy dark hair. "Whatever happens she'll be ours and well be able to bring Underland to its knees."

"And we'll rule again." The woman chirped happily. "Side by side."

"Yes." The knave lied smoothly. "Whatever you say,"

**Chapter 14 over. Okay so this is kind of a less awkward piece, Nicholas is still preventing Alice and the Hatter from actually getting anywhere! Grr Nicholas and we learn what's going on in the outlands a little bit, fun. Review and tell me how I'm doing or have any tips for me. **


	15. A Ride on The Wild Side

**Chapter 15 yays. Enjoy, **

Alice stopped and stood when she walked outside with the Hatter and Nicholas on either side of her .Underland's sun might not have been different from London's sun, but it was obviously so. Maybe it was because Underland's was purer, or that London's sun could never shine as bright, but either way, it was beautiful.

"Um Alice?" Nicholas asked waving his hand in front of Alice's dazed face.

Alice blinked and turned back to the scene she was living now, herself, the hater and Nicholas, going to a tea party, that's right.

"Mmhm?" Alice asked, still staring out to the horizon.

"Nicholas just asked an interesting question." Hatter said with a familiar smile in her direction. "It's quite a long walk, will probably take a while for us do, do so. And the Bandersnatch hasn't been seen since the day you've slain the jabberwocky so-"

"What he means," Nicholas interrupted shooting Hatter an apologetic glance. "Is that we don't really have a way to get to the tea party before night fall and back."

Alice opened her mouth and shut it, not really thinking about _how_ the three of them were going to get to the tea party, mostly when they were there. But as usual, Nicholas already had devised of plan and was putting it into action.

"I'll be right back." He promised and dashed off into the castle without a second glance, leaving Alice and hatter for the first time since this morning alone.

Alice smiled and so did the Hatter, taking a step closer to his Alice. "Are you excited?"

Alice nodded furiously. "I've wanted to go to an official mad tea party for months."

The Hatter's eyes flashed a slight blue, and whispered, suddenly and regretted it when the words came out. "They haven't been the same since you left."

Alice looked down, not wanting to meet the Hatters sad gaze. "That's why I wanted to get back so soon." She said quietly then tried to smile. "The tea parties up there are very boring."

The Hatter gave a mock look of horror and laughed hysterically. "I've heard their tea isn't as good either."

Alice nodded. "You're very right about that."

The castle doors opened again and Nicholas ran through them, holding two things in both of his hands, when he stopped in front of Alice and the Hatter he smiled deviously. "Back, we're ready to go."

"What did you get?" Alice asked curiously, as she most often did.

Nicholas smiled wider and held up the two objects in his hands. One held a tiny bottle filled with amber color liquid that Alice knew as pishalver, and the other was a slightly squished piece of upelkucken. "Now we can all go on the Bandersnatch."

Alice beamed and the Hatter nodded, with a genuine smile. "Clever."

Nicholas nodded and thanked the Hater before turning to Alice with another grin. "Okay, now where exactly _is_ the Bandersnatch?"

Alice turned around and shrugged helplessly, turning to the hatter who just shrugged back, his smile wavering slightly. "No one has seen it since you…err…"

"Since you went to finish your things up there?" Nicholas suggested and the Hatter nodded, in appreciation. "Maybe its time we did what I taught you." Nicholas put the pishalver and the upelkucken into his pocket and placed two fingers in his mouth. "Ready?"

Alice nodded and placed her own two fingers in her mouth and whistled loud and high, in contrast with Nicholas louder and lower sounding whistle. They continued with it for about twenty seconds before both stopped and looked around along with the Hatter, waiting for something to come along.

Alice smiled. "It was worth a try." She concluded as the earth began to shake slightly, out of the corner of her eye she saw something huge and gray running towards her, and when she turned it was suddenly on top of her, knocking the breath from her lungs. Alice laughed as the Bandersnatch licked her from chin to hairline with a long slobbery tongue.

"Alright, alright!" She called petting its soft head, over its one lazy eye. "I missed you too." She pulled herself up and saw the hatter push something back i9nto his belt, and with a look that asked him if he were truly serious he smiled and walked over to pet the hairy creature along with Nicholas.

"This is even better then I imagined." He mused stroking along its neck. "And you tamed him?"

Alice nodded as the creature butted its nose against her open palm. "And he saved me too, from Stayne and the red queen's soldiers."

"Fluffy, loyal, and strong." Nicholas concluded. "The prefect pet, for you huh?"

The Hatter smiled and stroked the creature more comfortably, turning to Alice and her friend. "Are we ready to leave?"

Alice nodded and turned to Nicholas who already had the pishalver in hand and was screwing of the top. "Cheers," He joked, as he clinking it against an invisible glass before taking a sip of the golden drink. Nicolas smiled and quickly screwed the top back onto the bottle as he began to shrink and became about a foot tall instead of six, his shirt and trousers dragging on the ground. Alice smiled and picked him up, making sire that his shirt didn't fall of him and picked up his pants as she mounted her Bandersntach with one hand, politely ignoring the Hatter's open hand for assistance.

"Come on," Alice said, lending out a hand that the hatter took as he pulled himself up onto the large creature and scooted back as far as he would allow and grabbed two fist fulls of hair.

"You're going to have to get closer," Alice said lowly, so Nicholas couldn't hear. "Or else you'll fall off."

The Hatter nodded and reluctantly scooted closer, and grabbed two new fist fulls of bandersnatch fur, when Alice smiled and reached around, grabbing his hands lightly and putting them on her waist, turning before she could see the Hatter turn red.

"You both ready?" Alice asked.

"Let's go!" Nicholas called from her lap, only a foot tall and leaning over the creature's massive head.

The Hatter nodded, still looking down at his hands on Alice's waist and Alice grinned wildly and called. "Okay, let's go." She touched the Bandersntach's shoulder lightly wit her foot and instantly the creature took off dark forest. The Hatter gripped on Alice's waist tighter and Nicholas hooted with laughter as the got closer to the forest.

**Hooray for the power of Underland treats! And for the Bandersnatch! I've been dying to get it back into the story...mostly because it's awesome! And fluffy! Review! btw i thinks i is kind of allowing my friend chillyrillys story seep into min...srry chilly if i is and i now credit u..feel the credit. **


	16. Proper Size

**Chapter 16 enjoy**

Alice released the Bandersnatch fur as he slowed down in the forest. All around her trees whispered in the breeze too low for her to hear and she coked her head to the side. "I think were lost."

"What was your first clue?" Nicholas asked and Alice casually flicked the back of his head and sent him forward, and turned back to the Hatter who was smiling pleasantly.

"Any ideas?" She asked.

The Hatter nodded and slid of the giant fluffy creature, holding out his hand for Alice to do the same. This time she took it, making his subtle smile widen as she turned around to catch Nicholas as he slid. "I think we can walk from here. He said looking down at Nicholas, "But he might want to change back to normal sized.

Nicholas grinned. "I couldn't agree with you more." And walked over to the bushes, yelling for Alice to please give him his pants.

Alice smiled and walked over to the bush, tossing Nicholas his pants as he took a bit large enough for him to return to proper size, but not large enough to be the size of a house. She'd made that mistake before.

"Do you think that Thackery and Mally will be there?" Alice asked, as Nicholas wrestles to get his pants on behind the bush.

The Hatter shrugged. "They've always been," He mused looking off into the space as he thought where they could have gone if they weren't at the tea table or with himself on a walk. He'd always assumed that Mally would go off on one of her adventures and Thack would sleep or something along those lines.

Nicholas came from behind the bush, proper sized and dressed and smiled at the hatter and Alice gesturing for them to go first so that he could smile. Alice shrugged and starting walking off into the woods while the Hatter snapped out daze and followed her along with Nicholas.

"Your sure were going the right way this time?" Nicholas asked as he caught up next to Alice. "Because if you end up falling down another hole, I will not be exactly pleased to have to save you again."

Alice sighed obviously annoyed. "I didn't exactly ask you to save me from the terrors of a hole did I?"

"But," Nicholas pointed out. "If I hadn't followed you down the hole, then you would have hurt yourself by falling off the ledge."

Alice thought about that for a second than nodded. "For once Nicholas, your right about something."

Nicholas gasped. "The world must be ending."

The Hatter smiled and walked up on the other side of Alice as they pushed out into the meadow wit the tea table and the broken wind mill.

"This is the tea party spot?" Nicholas asked, eyes widening as he stared at it with wonder. "It's just like you described it, Alice."

The Hatter smiled and leaned closer to Alice, whispering something only she could hear. "What didn't you tell him?"

Alice turned and smiled a secretive private smile that may have been only for the Hatter to see. "I kept some things secret."

Alice turned to see Nicholas walking strait to the table, silently as only he could be and Alice smiled, holding out an arm for him to take. "Ready?"

The Hatter's eyes had never been a more blazing green then they had at that very moment when he nodded and took her arm, leading her down to the grandest party in all of Underland.

**Yay for once Nicholas isn't there to ruin a moment between Alice and the Hatter. Let's make sure that happens less….maybe. review please! **


	17. A Shot From the Shadows

**I'm back! Lol, sorry I haven't posted in like forever and a day, but I'm back because I love you guys and I am not giving up on this story! Enjoy**

"Where is he Thackery?" Mally asked with distaste. The two had been waiting for the Hatter to arrive for nearly an hour and still he hadn't shown.

_Maybe he's to busy with Alice. _Mally thought bitterly then pushed the jealous thought out of her head. There was absolutely no need to be jealous of the clumsy big girl, not in one bit.

"Thack?" Mally asked, looking up from the rim of the cup she'd been sitting in and frowned to see that the mad rabbit had fallen asleep right in the middle of their conversation.

With a sigh, Mally hoisted herself up out of the tea cup and landed gracefully on the table, walking over to her usually spot at their annual tea parties. All that was left was the hatter and everything would commence. The moment Hatter would return Thackery would awaken and throw silverware at his mad friend, and then we would all sit and have the maddest tea party in all of Underland. Maybe Chess would stop by just to annoy Tarrent with his mischievous ways, which always made Mallyumkn grin. But it didn't matter much what they did, just that the trio of mad was together again, and that certain girls that left for years wouldn't present.

. . .

"This way right?" Nicholas called, looking back at Alice and the Hatter who were a few feet behind.

"You read the book, you figure it out!" Alice called back, grinning from ear to ear.

"It was _your _directions that got us lost last time." Nicholas reminded her as he broke through another patch of trees.

"Do you think he'll ever let that go?" Alice asked the Hatter as she ducked under a low Tree branch and shook out her wild blonde curls.

Tarrent shook his head playfully as he gave her a wide gap toothed grin. "I don't think so."

Alice sighed. "I thought you would say that. Maybe, we can distract him so he'll be able to forget."

Hatter grinned wider and laughed madly. "That might be fun."

Alice opened her mouth to say something but a loud cry cut her off. For a moment, Hatter thought that it was a bird of some sort that had made such a wail, but in the next instant, both he and Alice we're running to the clearing of the forest to find the source of the noise.

. . .

"What was that for?" Alice heard Nicholas cry as they neared the long table. Alice could smell the old yet familiar scents of tea, and sweet Underland treats that she'd missed while she stopped and took in the scene before her.

Nicholas stood at the end of the table, holding his right hand in his left and staring at a familiar little mouth with an amused expression. Mallyumkn was holding her sewing needle high up at him like a sword and Alice knew that already the two had been acquainted.

"Mally," The Hatter said with disappointment. "You know better then to treat our guests with such hostility."

Mally looked up at the hatter and smiled, lowing her needle slightly but raised it again at the sight of Alice. "So you did bring 'er 'ere, did you?"

"Of course Mally," Alice added at the Hatter's now narrow green eyes. "I wanted to see you," Slice looked up and smiled at he mad rabbit who was twitching in his sleep. "And Thackery too."

Mally rolled her eyes and pointed them narrowly at Nicholas who was still staring at her with odd fascination. "Well who's 'im?"

"Nicholas." Alice, Hatter and Nicholas said at once, then all beamed at their unison. "He's a friend of mine." Alice continued alone. "From above."

"And you brought him down 'ere?" Mally asked with disbelief.

"She was supposed to." Nicholas replied with a grin. "But we got a little lost, so I had to find Underland on my own."

"You told him about Underland too?" Mallyumkn asked, glaring at Nicholas.

Alice shrugged and started walking over to the other side of the table next to the Hatters seat where he was now sitting, staring at Alice with joy. "Yes, Mally I did."

Nicholas grinned and sat across from Alice, on the other side of the Hatter. "And it was the best thing that ever happened to me."

Alice grinned and picked up a blue tea pot that stood near her, and poured herself a cup then passed it to the Hatter. For one second, their fingers touched and another chill was sent up Alice's spine.

"What _have _you been doing up there?" a voice asked, making Nicholas' eyes widen as a gray tabby with blue luminescent eyes appeared at Alice's shoulder. "Now that we're all together, why don't you share?"

"There's not much to tell." Alice admitted. "We went to China, and started to build up my father's trading company, met new people, tried a whole new sort of experiences."

"You're forgetting all the adventures we had." Nicholas pointed out. "Like nearly missing our boat home?"

"That was your fault." Alice countered. "Remember how you just _had _to get some peaking duck before we left?"

"You know you wanted some" Nicholas said with a smile, ducking as the March Hare threw a cup at him It seemed that their conversation had awoken him. "And think about it, now we have valuable life experience."

"How is jumping onto a boat from the dock." Alice protested, skillfully. "Good life experience?"

"I don't know that now, but soon I will." Nicholas grinned. "And it had to be easier then slaying a jabberwocky." He turned to the Hatter. "Is it true that you stabbed it by the tail, just to buy Alice more time, even though tat meant everyone had to fight?"

Suddenly, a loud whizzing sound cut through the air and a dark object flew through the air, planting itself in front of Alice. With wide brown eyes Alice stared at a long dark arrow sharpened at the end to form a dark heart.

**Dun dun dun, cliff hanger. Doesn't it suck? Lol soooo review, tell me what you think is going on, and if your still around. Thanks! **


	18. According To Plan

**Hey, I'm posting cause I love you guys and I want to keep this going while juggling my report-thingy, not easy to do both, but whatever, Enjoy!**

Alice's hand froze halfway to her cup, and it still hung there inches above the table. In seconds arms were around her, pulling her top her feet and pushing her back behind the Hatter's large chair, and with wide brown eyes she saw that Nicholas was pulling her toward he depths of the forest.

"Nicholas, where are we going?" Alice asked, finding her voice finally and finding it quieter than shed wanted.

"We're getting you out of here." Nicholas replied, not looking at her. His voice was different too, more serious and lower, and not at all the voice that Nicholas used usually. With a spin, Nicholas faced her and stared at her with anxious green eyes, eyes that Alice had barley seen on her friend since they'd met. "I'm not letting you get hurt, Alice."

Nicholas turned again and placed two fingers in his mouth, blowing hard and sending out a low whistle. In seconds a blur of gray dashed through the forest and the large Bandersnatch stood in front of them, towering over the two and sniffing the air. Could he detect that there was something wrong too?

Nicholas grabbed a handful of fur and pulled himself up, turning down to Alice and offering her his hand. On any other circumstance Alice would have ignored it and climbed up on her animal with ease, but something about his gaze and the way the Bandersnatch stood told her that she shouldn't ignore Nicholas' offer. Once Alice was on her beast, and Nicholas sitting behind her –it had been an easy fight to win because even Nicholas didn't know how to ride the creature- they set off to Marmoreal, leaving the tea table, her friends and the dark arrow behind.

. . .

Before they even got to the castle Alice could feel that something was terribly, terribly wrong, and Queen Mirana's words only conformed her worries. Once the Bandersnatch stopped in front of the castle gates, and Alice and Nicholas slid off its back, soldier's of the queen ran out to greet them, bring them inside the safety of the castle walls and bring the creature behind its gates for its own protection. They found the queen in a room new to both Alice and Nicholas. The walls were white of course as was the motif for the entire castle, but the walls were also crammed full of books of ever size and thickness.

Leaning over a large map, her white hair falling around her face and hiding it like a light curtain stood the queen. She didn't look up when they came in, and Alice couldn't really blame her, everyone was slightly spoken up by the sudden change in the day, but as the two above lander's walked closer, Alice could see Mirana's shoulder's relax ever so slightly.

"This shouldn't have happened." Mirana murmured and Alice felt her eyes brows go up, as the queen pointed to a darker corner of her kingdom. "Here, this is where my sister and Stayne were banished."

"They've left the out lands?" Alice whispered and watched as Nicholas shook his head slowly.

"It appears so." The queen looked up, and pursed her dark lips at her champion. "Alice, I'm so sorry. It's only been your second day here and already we ask for your help once again."

"Don't be." Alice reassured, staring down at the Queen with troubled eyes of her own "I'll do anything, when Underland needs me."

Mirana smiled, "I know you will, Alice that is why you are such a wonderful champion of ours."

"So, Nicholas asked, suddenly staking a step closer to the two women who were nearly a foot apart and leaning over the map. "What do we do now?"

Mirana gave Nicholas a sad grin, "The only thing we can do, wait."

. . .

"You stupid little nit!" The knave yelled, staring down at the big headed woman who had her hands on her hips and was staring up at Stayne with frustration. "You couldn't just leave well enough alone, could you? You had to take matters into your own hands, instead of following the plan!"

"It's already done, Stayne!" The once red queen screamed throwing both free hands in the air. "And now there isn't anything we can do about it, is there?"

"Well now they'll be expecting us wont they?" Stayne yelled. "You've given them the one thing we had, surprise. And now well have to wait weeks until their guards are finally down once more!"

"Not necessarily." Iracebeth said pointedly, and at her knave's narrow gaze she continued. "My sister's flaw is that she cares for all living things, especially her mad sort of friends. But what do you believe she would do, if she realized that Underland was not the safest place for her champion."

"You, believe she'll send her back up then?" Stayne asked, stiffly. "Along with that irritating companion of hers?"

The ex- queen of crims grinned, a wicked and truly evil smile "Precisely."

**Dun, dun, dun, back to the cliff hangers. Will Alice and Nicholas return to the above lands? Or will true love conquer all, blah, blah, blah, drama, drama, drama, Review! **


	19. Decisions

**Chapter 19, and yes I have finally finished my project. Then again I did mess up on the oral presentation, a lot so Idk how my grade is going to turn out but whatever this is not the time for my school work, this is the time for Alice in Wonderland fan fictions!**

"Do you think they're alright?" Alice asked Nicholas, pacing back and forth in her bed room. Since the queen had instructed them to wait, it had been the best place that Alice could think of to go, the first being the balcony to look form her friends to make sure that they were alright.

"I'm sure they're fine, Alice." Nicholas reassured, wearily. "But I don't think that they would want to you keep pacing back and forth until you pass out."

Alice should him a dirty look that he brushed off with a grin, walking over to the window still and peering through the darkened glass. "You know the Hatter better than anyone right?" At Alice's nod he continued, sitting down on the still. "So you must know that he'll take care of himself and his friends. And besides, shouldn't you be worrying about yourself? You almost got shot today."

Alice stopped and stared at her friend. It was sometimes hard to believe that they were the same age, but that he could be so much wiser then she was. While she was worrying about the Hatter and her friends, as she very well should be, she was forgetting that this was the Hatter. Her Hatter who would do anything to protect his friends and who had done so when he helped delayed the Jabberwocky even for a few seconds.

"Maybe you're right." Alice agreed, sitting down next to her friend and looking out the window that now gave them an eerie twilight night.

"It was bound to happen sometime." Nicholas said with a smirk that soon disappeared when he put a hand on Alice's shoulder. "Alice, I want you to make me a promise alright?"

Alice nodded mutely, staring at Nicholas with curious eyes.

"I know we've already kind of made a promise like this, but I think this is more serious now." Nicholas said with a slight smile. "No matter what happens, we're sticking together, alright? I don't care if you have to fight another jabberwocky beast, or you have to an away to some foreign place in Underland, the entire time I'll be right by your side no matter what. You got that?"

Alice smiled, and nodded, placing her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Of course, Nicholas. No matter what we'll always be together."

The two teenagers grinned and let their arm's fall, glazing out the window at the lazy moon as it rose into the dark sky, where somewhere out their, their friends were waiting and so were two people, with a horrible, horrible plot.

. . .

As Mirana peered over the map of her kingdom in front of her, she could detect a small object of blue out of the side of her vision, but even she didn't have to look to see who had entered her library through the window she'd left open for such a purpose.

"Absolum," Mirana whispered, while the blue butterfly settled onto her shoulder, adding a dash of color to her usual white aura.

"You are troubled, are you not your highness?" The butterfly asked, while the queen trailed her finger along the edge of the outlands down to her castle in Marmoreal.

"It had to have been my sister." The queen murmured, mostly to herself as she circled the outlands with her finger. "But, Stayne would never have let her go." She frowned, remembering how he and nearly killed her sister. "He values his life to much."

The butterfly made a sound, a murmur of agreement before taking a long blow of his hookah, that sent a tiny bit of blue smoke into he queen's vision. "So, what of our champion?"

Mirana shook her head slightly, "There's more then she knows, my dear friend." Without a word, Mirana stored to the other side of the room and the butterfly glided off her shoulder onto the map while she went towards her large desk and picked up something that shed placed into the one of the drawers. When she returned Absolum saw that it was an arrow, carved at one end into the shape of a heart and tied onto the end print was a tiny white slip of paper.

"It says she isn't safe." The queen told him, staring down at the weapon in her hands. She'd gotten it a little bit after her champion had left and she still couldn't bring herself to tell her about it, not because of what the note said, but of what it meant for her champion and her friend.

"What are you thinking?" Absolum wondered, but from the sad look in his eyes he knew what she had already thought.

Mirana took a deep breath and turned out to gaze at her window, her next words might alter all of Underland, but they needed to be said, she needed to protect Alice. "I think that Underland might not be the safest place for our champion, after all."

**Dun, dun, dun. Cliff hanger! Will they go back to the above land? I don't know, maybe, maybe not you'll have to wait and see I guess :P. Review! **


	20. Saftey

**Sorry I haven't posted for like forever and a day, I've been really busy but I'm posting now even though its short and you'll probably hate me. But whatever enjoy. **

"We have to leave?" Alice asked, more calmly even she would have expected. For once she was glad that the Hatter wasn't there with her, she could only imagine what he would have said when the queen told her champion that she would have to leave Underland. "Why?"

"It has to be about that arrow, isn't it?" Nicholas asked, before the queen could answer. "Someone wants to hurt Alice?"

Mirana nodded softly, and then placed a soft ivory hand on her champion's cheek. They were sitting in Alice's bedroom, an unusual place to be but when Alice woke up there was a persistent knocking at the door. For one brief second, Alice's heart fluttered in another one of those odd things and thought that it was the Hatter, but when she opened the door, she saw it was the queen and Nicholas, both wearing serious and sad expressions.

"It's not safe here, Alice." Mirana said softly. "Not as safe as it was. I fear that my sister will do something, anything in fact to exact her revenge. And if our champion was hurt in the process I'm sure that all of Underland's citizens would regret it."

"But that's what a champion does." Alice protested. "I can't just leave now, I need to be here."

"Alice," Nicholas said quietly, putting a hand on her shoulder when the queen pulled back. "I think she's right."

Alice turned and stared at her friend with horror, and narrowed her eyes. "You think I should leave so I don't get hurt."

"If this red queen is as evil as she sounds, I'm sure that she has something even worse planned for us." Nicholas explained. "Imagine what she could be doing in the Outlands, making an army with other outcasts and getting ready to attack here."

"So I should be here to fight them." Alice countered. "So I can protect Underland."

With a sigh Mirana turned and pulled back the curtains to Alice's bedroom, leaning her hand against the cool glass. "There was more to the arrow then just an attack."

Alice blinked, "What do you mean?"

"On the arrow, I didn't discover it until after you'd left, but I believe you should read it for yourselves." Without another word, Mirana pulled out the arrow that she'd been holding onto since she'd entered the room, and placed it on the small sitting table between Nicholas and Alice. They worked together to untie the small knot that held the note, and widened their eyes when they saw what was written on it.

"I'm not safe?" Alice whispered, and looked up at Nicholas with an uncertain expression.

"So it would be safer in a place where they can't get you." Nicholas finished.

Alice looked back down at the arrow; it was sleek, dark, and light, an instrument of death and precision. No wonder the red queen had used it to do her dirty work. And now the threat held cleanly in the air.

"It's your choice, Alice." Mirana told her, and when Alice looked up, she felt her heart break for her friend. Mirana would sacrifice her entire kingdom, just because she wanted her champion to be safe. Alice wouldn't let that chance go to waste. Not for the queen, not for her friends, and not for herself.

"When should we leave?" Alice asked, looking down at her hands.

"As soon as you would like to." Mirana replied, placing a hand on Alice's back. "I know it's hard, but it will be alright soon." She whispered, just for Alice to hear.

Alice nodded as Mirana walked out of the room, shutting the pale door behind her and leaving Nicholas and Alice to remember the boring world that they were returning to and where more evil was soon to follow.

"So we're leaving then." Nicholas said when the door shut behind the queen of Underland. He cocked his head towards Alice's direction was a slight smile. "Guess we get another chance to face your mother, huh?"

Alice nodded mutely, staring past Nicholas, and pass all her surrounds. Her mind was surrounded by thoughts, thoughts of goodbyes to her friends, to her world, and going back to the world that she'd left behind. At least she would get to see her family gain, and some old friends, but what about the dangers that waited for her here? In her true home? And most of all, she had no idea how to say goodbye, to the mad man with the blazing green eyes.

**Sorry it's short, I had to do a quick one because I had no idea how to continue and im rushing ll because I have so many things to catch up on. Review please! **


	21. Letting Go

**Chapter 21, is finished and now is the time to read my words! **

"We're leaving tonight." Alice told Nicholas, as they walked down a long white corridor. Last night's plans still buzzed through her mind, mostly about what she was going to do to tell the hatter that she was leaving. The last time she had gone hadn't left him so well, so she was determined to prevent that from happening again. "Mirana thinks that it would be best if we leave soon so that Iracebeth won't have time do anything."

Nicholas nodded, "I think that if she is planning anything, it will mostly be centered around when you're not being guarded. There has to be way more Underland soldiers then there are outcasts right?"

Alice nodded, staring down at her hands while they walked. She was wearing a bright blue dress, as she usually wore and it might be the last Underland thing that she did wear for a long time.

"Alice?" Nicholas masked, and Alice blinked, looking up into his confused brown eyes. "Are you okay?"

Alice opened her mouth to tell her friend that she was, but closed it, because she honestly wasn't okay. How could anyone be okay when they were threatened in their perfect world and were being forced to leave into the world that they'd once left? "No, I'm not."

Nicholas sighed, and shook his head, grabbing her wrist and pulling her to the white wall and slid down to the ground while she did the same. "I know this seems like it's the wrong thing to do now, but its going to be better in the end."

Alice rolled her eyes. "That's not what I'm worried about, Nicholas."

Nicholas looked over at Alice and smiled wickedly. "Oh, so _that's_ it then?"

"What do you mean?" Alice asked narrowing her eyes at her friend.

"You don't know how to tell him goodbye." Nicholas replied, cocking his head to the side. "Is that it?"

"What do you mean?" Alice repeated, staring down at her hand, and not wanting to hear his answer.

"The last time you left, the Hatter went mad right?" at Alice's look her changed his words. "Well, _madder _right? So you want to tell him that you're leaving, but you don't want to hurt him like last time. But you don't know how to tell him that is that it?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "Okay, so then how do I tell him that?"

Nicholas shrugged, and leaned his head against the wall. "You know I'm not good at stuff like that, Alice. You're on your own."

Someone started walking down the hallways and Alice pulled her legs closer to her, still looking down at her hands and trying to sort through her thoughts. She had to do this right, if she didn't then who knows what would happen to her Hatter?

The footsteps stopped, and Alice heard Nicholas stand and sit back down, then the footsteps started going in the other direction. Alice waited until she couldn't hear the footsteps anymore, before she spoke. "So I really have to tell him on my own?"

"Tell who, what?" A familiar voice asked, sending chills down Alice's spine. Her head shot up and she was instantly staring into a pair of shocking green eyes, eyes that she knew no matter how many time sthat5 she went into the above land, she would never forget them.

"Hatter," Alice whispered, and then looked back down, pushing a strand of blonde curls behind her ear. "I thought you were Nicholas."

She heard the Hatter laugh, as short and exceedingly mad chuckle, "No, Lassie. He told me that you needed to tell me something." Alice could feel his eyes staring at her anxiously, like the way you can tell when you're being stared at. "Is something wrong?"

Alice nodded, and pulled her knees up to her chest, leaning her chin on the tops. "Yes, Hatter."

Alice could hear the Hatter's sharp intake of breath, and for a moment Alice thought that she'd already told him, but instead she felt something on her cheek, something cool and wet. She was crying?

The Hatter put his arms around her and pulled her close so that her head was buried in his shoulder. She could hear the Hatter whispering something as he held onto her, but she knew that the moment she said what she'd needed too, he would be pushing her away.

"Hatter," Alice whispered, and the Hatter held her tighter. "I need to tell you something." She paused, seconds seemingly like hours and took a deep breath; it was now the time to tell. "Hatter, I'm leaving."

The Hatter stopped murmuring soft things to Alice and pulled her back, so that he could see her shift brown eyes, filled with sadness when he peered into them with his own blue ones. "What do you mean?"

Alice looked away. "It's not safe here." Before she knew it the words were tumbling out of her. "Someone wants something bad to happen to me, and they say that I won't be safe anywhere. The Queen thinks that maybe it would be safer if id go back to the Above land, just for a little while. Nicholas is going to be with me too, so he won't be in any trouble here and it won't be forever, I'll be back before you know it. But it's not like I honestly want to go, I want to stay here but I think the Queen and Nicholas are right that I should go back there until it might be safer for me here, or at least until we know what the red queen is planning but until then I should just…."

Alice looked up at the hatter, who was staring at her with intense blue eyes. But they were duller now, like the inner light that had been lighting them was blown out. "You're…leaving?"

Alice bit her lip and nodded, more tears flowing down from her eyes. She waited for the Hatter to scream, and to throw himself into a mad fit that would make every other one he's had seem like a child's tantrum, but instead he just stood, and when Alice looked up she couldn't see his eyes, his hat was pulled too low for her to see them, or guess what color that they were. But she knew for a fact that they weren't green, and turned away, walking down the long white hallway and disappearing out of sight, without a second glance.

**Dramatic, dun, dun, dun. So, no mad fit. Why, because it was unexpected. But there will probably be one later, just saying loll. So this one is longer, yay and they are leaving tonight! *gasp* And the Hatter just left Alice *another gasp* review! **


	22. Fairfarren For Now

**Chapter 22! ENJOY :3! **

"Are you alright, Alice?" Mirana asked as they walked up a long silver stair case towards her study. "You seem rather pale."

Alice shook her head slowly, not answer the queen's question. There was no way that she could trust herself to say anything even remotely understandable. Even right now she was forcing the tears not to fall down her face.

"I'm fine." Alice whispered, and felt her grip on control slip. "I guess I'm just a little nervous."

"Alice," the Cheshire cat purred, appearing suddenly at her shoulder through a puff of smoke. "Don't tell me you honestly think that you're going to be all alone in the above land do you?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "I still honestly can't believe you're going with us."

Chess's grin widened. "You have no trust in me do you?"

Of course when Alice found Nicholas in Mirana standing at the edge of the stair case, she had no idea that that they would be going alone. In fact, she had secretly hoped that someone would have volunteered to occupy them on their journey, but the person that she had originally hoped obviously wasn't.

"I'm sure you'll be a great help to us, Chess." Nicholas said from farther down the corridor. He turned, now wearing the original clothing he did when he first came to Underland with the addiction of a new dark green cloak.

Chess raised a furry eye brow and flew over to Nicholas and the two started a rapid conversation that Alice was to numb to follow. Instead she played with the hem of her own cloak, it was blue –as was her signature color- and was probably designed by the Hatter himself, like the dress she was wearing.

"So you'll have something from Underland with you." Mirana had said when she gave them the cloaks, with a sad smile.

Alice smiled too, a sad one and realized that this was probably as hard for her as it was for Alice. But she couldn't think about that now, she needed to focus on the mission at hand, to protect herself and Nicholas too. Her eyes flickered to the brown haired boy in front of them, talking animatedly with a floating cat. It was funny, how if he was from London as was herself that they both had taken to Underland so well, even though she had been the one to bring him here. Maybe if she hadn't even met him, he could have found this place on his own.

"We're here." Mirana said quietly and Alice blinked, looking around the room that they'd been in yesterday, and found that Mirana was staring at her worriedly. "Are you ready?"

Alice looked around the room one more time, and could see that Nicholas was glancing at her a bit anxiously too, before she nodded. "Yes," She whispered and then said more confidently. "Yes I am."

Mirana gave her a sad nod and turned, walking over to a wall that held a long pale curtain from the ceiling, to where it skirted off the ground by inches. With grace only she could own, she pulled back the curtain slowly and revealed what was hidden behind the fabric, a large mirror.

The glass was clear and untouched, and Alice could see a thin coat of dust lining its silver frame. The silver was carved to twist and shape into a variety of different things, including from what Alice could see a sun, moon and small stars that winked as the new sunlight bounced off its glistening glass.

"It's beautiful." Alice said, releasing the breath she didn't know she was holding.

Mirana nodded. "It's the way for you to return." She laid her hand on the glass affectionately or possibly awed by its power, and closed her pale eyes softly.

Chessur nodded silently, obviously understanding its power along with his queen. "Do you have the potion, your highness?"

Mirana opened her dark solemn eyes and nodded, turning around and producing a small vile filled with a clear red brown liquid. The cat disappeared from Nicholas' side and reappeared by the queen's, taking the potion in his furry paws and giving one last large grin, before swallowing the vile's liquid.

"What's that for? Nicholas asked, walking up next to Alice as the gray tabby finished his drink.

"It's something to help Chessur blend in the above land." Mirana said with a small and secretive grin. "Not that walking around with a disappearing blue and gray cat would cause unneeded attention of any kind, whatsoever."

Nicholas nodded in understanding. "So what will our dear old friend chess look like in the above world then?"

Mirana shrugged. "An average house cat, I suppose."

Both teenagers nodded as the cat strolled over to the mirror and peaked at his reflection, curiously. "Are you ready to depart?"

Alice found herself nodding and walked over to the mirror with Nicholas trailing behind her, staring into the reflection along with the cat, in the same curious fashion, but from a little bit farther away. "Do we just…"

Mirana smiled wider, warmly. "All you have to do is step through, and you'll be back."

"How much time has passed there?" Nicholas asked, taking a step forward and standing inches from the mirror, foot poised in the air ready to step through.

Mirana cocked her head to the side delicately, and pursed her dark lips. "Only time will tell."

Nicholas grinned, and took a dramatic bow. "Farwell, my queen, I a wait to see you once again." He straightened and looked down at the cat. "Ready?"

Chess gave Nicholas one of his too famous grins. "See you on the other side, lad." Before disappearing into the mirror while Nicholas followed.

Alice smiled and raised her hand and rested it to the glass expecting it to stop for her and return to a hard surface after Nicholas disappeared, but to her amazement it went forward, through the surface into the oblivion, before she pulled it back and turned to Mirana. 

"Thank you." Alice said quickly, and wrapped her arms around the queen in a quick but tight embrace. "For everything."

The queen smiled and returned Alice's hug, patting her back and whispering in her ear. "I will always be there to help Underland's champion, and my friend."

When Alice pulled back, she could see tears in Mirana's eyes that were slightly out of focus because of the tears in her own.

_This isn't good bye. _Alice thought reassuringly. _This is good bye, for now. _

"Fairfarren, Mirana." Alice whispered, feeling stronger then she had when she'd fist walked into the room. "For now."

Mirana nodded, a delicate and noble action, as if she could hear Alice's thoughts out loud. "Fairfarren, Alice."

Alice turned back to the mirror, and took a deep breath, what could possibly be her last breath of Underland air, and took a step towards the mirror. When she finally walked al the way n, it was like going through the rabbit hole all over again, only much faster and backwards So that now she went up to the world she'd left instead, and never really belonged, instead of down to the world that she'd always be her true home. With only the sound of quick echoing footsteps, to remember that what she'd just done, truly happened.

**Okay, so again this chapter was a little hard to write, mostly because no Hatter and I'm not that good at touchy feely scenes. But I think I did pretty alright. So now they're going back to the above land, where who knows what could be waiting for them there. Review! **


	23. Just Reality

**I haven't posed in forever and I is sorry, I've been super sick like all week and unable to write, anything. So sorry, but don't hate me, just read!**

This time, Alice didn't scream when she fell. Maybe because she wasn't falling, at least not in the right direction this time. She couldn't see much, but Alice could defiantly tell that she was going much quicker then when she'd fallen down to Underland, but she didn't really have much time to think about it because before she knew it, she was staring up at the rabbit hole that she'd found in what seemed like a lifetime before.

Grass raked under her fingernails as she pulled herself up out of the hole, sitting on the edge with her legs dangling inside when she'd managed to pull most of herself up before laying down against the edge.

"Alice?" a curious voice asked, and Alice turned to see Nicholas, leaning on his knees a little bit away from the hole. "What just happened?"

Alice shook her head softly, her blonde curls scattering around her face, as she pulled the rest of herself out of the hole and sat next to her friend, while, her mind flashing her memories of a man with unmatchable bright green eyes, a smiling cat who could disappear, and a white rabbit with a pocket watch who was always late. But her mind also flashed bade memories, of a man with an eye patch sending out guards on her, until she was surrounded, watching as the Hatter was surrounded by knights and taken away, and drinking the Jabberwocky poison and watching it all vanish. Maybe he wouldn't need to remember the things she did, and he could be safe here, and be normal. "I…I can't really remember."

"I had a dream." Nicholas mused, leaning his chin on his knee as he stretched the other one out against the cool grass. "And you were in it."

Alice nodded, waiting for him to go on but he paused, and continued staring at her with the oddest expression.

"What?" Alice asked after a long pause, looking between him and the hole and back at him. "Why are you staring at me?"

"Alice," Nicholas whispered. "It wasn't a dream, was it?"

Alice blinked and pushed back a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "No, Nicholas. I know it wasn't."

Nicholas nodded mutely, leaning his head back, and staring up at the blue sky, that was darker then the one in Underland, as most everything here was. "Then it all really happened, didn't it?"

Alice nodded. "'Fraid so."

"So, where is he then?" Nicholas asked looking back towards Alice, with an amused expression.

"Who?" Alice asked, her heart doing another one of those odd thumps as for a fleeting moment she thought of her Hatter, then remembered what happened when she told him the news.

"Chess," Nicholas replied, pushing himself up and walking around the meadow nonchalantly, then cupped his hands around his mouth and called. "Chess! Chess where are you?"

Alice rolled her eyes and stood up; cupping her hands over her mouth and called out. "Chessur?"

For a few minutes, the only sound was that inhabited the forest, and soon after even that died down and Alice and Nicholas sat down in the grass, back to back, staring around at the world that they'd returned to, like it was the mad irrational place.

"Where could he be?" Alice mumbled, with a frown as she leaned on her hand while she searched for the gray tabby thought he bushes. "It's not like he could have made it back into town without us, could he?"

Nicholas shrugged. "I don't know, do you think that he could have fallen back down the hole?"

_No, _Alice thought. _He's much to smart for that. _But Alice was oddly comforted by the thought of hope that, that was where their friend had gone, to a place that he knew well and wouldn't be completely lost in like London.

"Maybe we should walk around." Alice suggested, standing up and wiping her hands on the blue dress that she'd worn when she'd fallen. "He could be around here somewhere."

Nicholas shrugged and stood, running a hand through his dark hair as he turned and started walking between the trees, looking behind him to make sure that she was following. "I don't want to lose you again."

"Afraid I'll fall back down a hole without you?" Alice teased as she started following Nicholas, her blonde curls bouncing with each step like they had when she'd skip as a child.

Nicholas turned and rolled his eyes. "That's exactly what I'm afraid of."

"Well, you won't this time." Alice decided as they ducked under a low branch. "Remember we made a promise, and it goes both ways. So if you end up getting lost, I do not want to have to look all over for you."

Nicholas sighed as they rounded a thick oak, and stared up at the lowest branch, that was still nearly ten feet above them. "Do you think that Chessur might still be able to use his powers here?"

Alice shook her head. "I doubt it. Why?"

Nicholas shrugged again, and pointed upward, where Alice had to crane her neck to see a small gray tail peaking out from the edge of a branch. "Maybe because he's still trying to hide."

**I felt like this one could have been longer but whatever, please review! **


	24. Lying Is A Terrible Thing

**So, as it was probably plain to see, I had no idea where I was going with this chapter! So I winged it and it's honestly not one of my bests, but whatever at least its something :p. Enjoy. **

"Too late?" The Hatter asked, much more calmly then even he'd expected, as he faced the queen in her study. "You mean…"

"She went with Nicholas and Chessur already." Mirana said softly, taking a hesitant step towards the mad hatter, knowing how unstable he was at the moment. "I'm sorry, Tarrant."

Hatter froze; staring at his queen like staring at a photograph, of something that everyone told him was something else entirely, his eyes going into a color that resembled storm clouds that never darkened the skies when Alice was here, but now would seem to follow him for all eternity.

Then he was running.

. . .

"How long do you think it's been?" Nicholas asked, as the rounded a corner towards Alice's street. "Just a guess."

Alice shrugged, glancing into a window of a barber where she recognized some of the people from around time. "They don't look like time has changed much; maybe we've only been gone for a day or two."

Nicholas nodded, in agreement as they walked down the cobbled streets where street lamps had started to flicker on to light their way through the twilight. "Do you think your mother will let you keep him?" He gestured to Chess who was walking down between them, his glowing blue eyes wide as they passed everything in London. "I can't take him away if she says no, my Mother's allergic."

Alice shrugged as they stopped in front of her average looking house, that she couldn't help but picture as extremely plain compared to all the houses and castles in Underland. The bricks were slightly crooked, and the colors even in the low light were dark and plain. "Hopefully, but I don't think that's the issue at hand."

Nicholas turned to her, with a raised eye brow and Chess looked up at her with the same expression as if he understood their entire conversation, maybe he did, but he wasn't saying anything, he hadn't really since they'd gotten here. "And what is?"

Alice gave them both a small smile. "You said it yourself, something more fearsome than a Jabberwocky, my mother."

. . .

"Where have you been?" Ms. Kingsley screamed as Alice walked inside with the Cheshire cat in her arms and Nicholas behind her. "You've been gone all day, and it's nearly midnight!"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Kingsley." Nicholas apologized, walking next to Alice and putting his arm around her shoulder's as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "You see, we we're walking towards the park when we saw this cat, up a tree and…"

"It fell," Alice continued, looking at the cat with mock sympathy. "Poor thing, we'd thought it could have been seriously injured so we brought it back to Peacon manor."

"Since, my father is a doctor and could probably detect if the cat had any major injuries, which lucky he didn't." Nicholas grinned and stroked the cat's ear affectionately. "I'm sure that we wouldn't have been late if we'd hadn't gotten lost trying to find him when he ran into the woods though."

"I'm sorry, mother. I can assure you that I'll never be late again." Alice grinned, knowing this for the lie it was and her smile grew wider when she saw that Chessur was giving her a smile of his own, or at least what a at from the above land could manage as a smile.

Ms. Kingsley looked between her daughter, to Nicholas and back to her daughter before she sighed and gave her daughter a small smile. "Just promise me that next time, you two will be back on time, alright?"

Alice nodded, and turned to Nicholas who had pulled his arm back when Ms. Kingsley turned to go make some tea for the engaged couple and get some cream for their new furry creature. "Since when is your father a doctor?"

Nicholas rolled his eyes. "Since you decided that he cat fell."

Alice sighed, and put the cat down on the ground, while she pushed Nicholas out the still open doorway. "You, need to get home before she comes back."

"Why?" Nicholas protested, leaning halfway into the doorway. "I want some tea."

"You'll be disappointed after the tea we had in Underland." Alice pointed out. "And she's going to just talk about the wedding, and how we have yet to give her a date for it."

"You don't want to lie to her anymore." Nicholas realized, looking over to the kitchen where he could see the older woman pouring the tea into three small while cups, plain as the rest of London. "Alright, but I'll be here first thing tomorrow, we need to plan out what were going to do while were here." He leaned down and patted Chessur on the head. "Make sure she doesn't fall down anymore holes, okay?"

"Nicholas," Alice said calmly. "Do you like being able to see with both eyes?"

Nicholas rolled his eyes and nodded, standing up and calling loudly. "Sorry, Ms. Kingsley but I'll have to come back for tea another day." He grinned and turned around, walking down the street until he was out of sight before letting out a slow, and faint whistle.

. . .

"Where is it?" Alice asked out loud, as she pulled through her cloak pockets when she'd finally convinced her mother that it would be perfectly safe for the Chess to sleep upstairs in her bedroom.

"But, he'll get cat hair all over your nice clothes." Ms. Kingsley protested, when Alice stared to bring him up the stairs. "And all over Nicholas' cloak."

Alice sighed, she should have known that her mother would have thought that this was Nicholas' cloak, considering Alice owned nothing like it, and she knew that only Nicholas probably owned one similar to it. But instead she instead that the cat would be more comfortable upstairs and continued without a second glance. So now, here she was searching through the pockets of her cloak looking for the notebook that she'd place din the inside pocket before they'd left, while Chessur's eyes followed her around the room.

"Where could it be?" Alice whispered, flipping the fabric over and searching it with quick fingers. "I know I put it in here, before we left."

Chessur rolled onto his back, in what Alice thought was the equivalent of a head roll and realized that he wouldn't be much use if he couldn't speak to her, like every other animal in the Above land.

With a sigh, Alice fell on her bed and stared up at the plain ceiling that she'd looked at for years. "I can't believe it isn't here."

At that point, Alice realized that she was truly exhausted, going from one world to another was not easy and fell asleep, full dressed and sprawled lazily on her bed, and even if she had been awake, like Chessur was she wouldn't really have been able to see the delicate blue butterfly standing on her window still.

**Again, I'm sorry there was really no point to this chapter except for the little bit at the beginning but even then, no idea where I was going wit hit. To be honest I still don't, but that is okay! Review, please!**


	25. Nightmares

**I am so sorry that I haven't posted in forever, but I am now so don't feel like I'm forgetting abort you guys! Chapter 25, enjoy!**

"_Alice…." _

_The voice was soft, and pulled Alice towards it in the dark. Unlike her usual nightmares, Alice knew where she was, or more specifically where she wasn't. She was stumbling around in the streets of London, where she had been not a few hours before, but a new menacing glow of evil and a dark eerie sense filled through out her dream._

"_Alice…." _

_I'm here, Alice wanted to call, but something held her voice under lock and key, and perhaps it was better that way. _

"_Alice…." _

_The voice started to grow dimmer and Alice felt herself run, faster and faster towards where ever the voice was, but no mater what speed she ran, she would never get close enough to the voice to hear its sweet melody. _

"_Alice…" _

"_I'm coming." Alice called, finally finding her voice and felt it run up her throat coarsely like she'd been running for a long time and maybe she had, while she rounded another corner. "Wait!" _

_With a sigh, Alice stopped and leaned her hand against a near lamppost that shed barley any light in the dark street, a night that belonged neither to London or Underland, as fog started to block her view so she could barley tell which way was up or down. _

"_Alice…." _

_Alice's head snapped up, her blonde curls blowing in front of her face for a second before they fell back around her shoulders and she blinked out into the dark, focusing on something in the distance that she could just make out as a lighter shadow in the darkness. _

"_Alice…." _

_Alice blinked, and took a hesitant step, only to realization that the sweet voice calling her name was oddly familiar, and the realization only made her want to get to the owner of the voice more. She straightened up, and walked carefully along the silent street, her own name echoing in her quiet mind as she got closer to the lighter shadow, and then they were standing nearly four feet away, both figures standing in the dark. _

"_Alice," The lighter shadow said warmly, and alive could tell that they were smiling. "You've found me." _

"_Who are you?" Alice asked taking a hesitant step forward as time-such a finny thing- started to slow. _

_Up closer Alice could see that they were smiling, a tiny bright patch of white glowing lazily through the dark smoky fog, which she tried unsuccessfully to fan away like she'd done with Absolum's blue smoke. _

_Suddenly, all the fog disappeared, and the lamp posts brightened, leaving Alice and the stranger in plain light and she could see who he truly was. _

_He was tall, a bit taller then she was which most every male was and had dark black hair that nearly fell into his eyes even though it was brushed neatly over behind his ears, and he had a warm clever smile like he had a secret that he wasn't willing to tell. _

_And his eyes, they were a green that was indescribable, not as bright like emeralds like the Hatter's but close, more close hen anyone else's eyes in London or China that she'd seen, and now they were fixed on her with absolute attention. _

"_Who are you?" Alice asked again, and this time the stranger's smile widened and he let out a short and loud chuckle. "Tell me, who you are." _

_The strangers smile disappeared, and he leaned it, barley brushing Alice's ear and said in a voice, barley louder than a whisper. "You will remember." _

. . .

Queen Mirana burst through the white doors to the castle with a loud slam and ran down the white passageway without even thinking about what her subjects might have thought if they saw her running so unlike her usual ways. She needed to get to the white rabbit fast, before anything else happened, and thankfully he was waiting for her at the front of the grand doors that led outside towards the entrance of her castle.

"Nivens," Mirana whispered anxiously, crouching down to his eye level as he shook uncontrollably like he usually did, but never as bad as this. "Are you alright?"

Nivens gave her a short nod as he blinked frantically, looking between her and behind them at the open doorway, before he said very quickly and in one short breath. "It's not me, your highness. You see I was checking up on Tarrant like you wished, when I heard the loudest commotion so I went over to Hightopp's home and-"

"And?" Mirana asked, stroking the rabbit's ear softly and placing it under his chin in an attempt to steady him.

Nivens' took a deep breath. "He wasn't there."

The queen relaxed, her dark eyes growing softer and calmer. "So he was out with Mallymkun and Thackery?"

Nivens' shook his head quickly. "That's what I thought your highness, but when I went there, he wasn't there either. No one was, and I've scouted all over Underland and inside the castle but-"

"You can't find him." Mirana finished, carefully. "You don't think?"

Nivens shook his head. You know better than I, your highness." He bowed grandly and took as step back as Mirana rose with grace as much as speed and turned, running towards her study while Nivens followed beside her, talking frantically with every hop.

"You don't believe that he would have followed our champion, Nicholas and The Cheshire cat, do you?" Nivens asked worriedly as they neared the door and Mirana pushed it open with a gasp.

The large window that she'd usually left closed was open, and her light white curtains twisting and turning in the morning breeze, but between it she could see a frightening sight. The curtain that the mirror hid behind was open, for all of Underland to see, and Mirana instantly knew that someone had gone through it, to the above land.

"What are we going to do?" Nivens asked his nose twitching as he cowered slightly behind Mirana while she carefully stepped around towards the window.

'The only thing we can." The queen whispered, before she turned, her dark eyes very serious. "We'll have to hope."

**Drama in Underland and a bit of odd dream sequencing up in the London. As always I leave you on a cliff hanger, because that's what I do and I hope you review! **


	26. Tea Shop

**Sorry, I haven't posted in awhile but this is a good one! So, enjoy. **

Something tapped at the front of Alice's nose, hesitantly and for a second Alice thought that she was still dreaming, and the stranger was still there, staring at her with those haunting green eyes, but then a clear and hesitant voice cut through her fuzzy thoughts.

"Alice," The voice purred, and the sudden realization caused Alice to immediately sit up and throw Chess towards the end of the bed where he clawed to stay up.

"Chess," Alice breathed, running a hand through her long blonde curls. "What are you doing?"

"Falling off your bed, at the moment." Chessur called, finally pulling him self up onto her bed and laying down on his stomach ready to pounce.

"You can talk?" Alice asked, as Chessur rolled over playfully like a house cat might do in this world. "How?"

The cat shrugged. "It might have taken a few hours to wear off but the queen thought I might be more of an assistance to you both if I was able to speak." With a smaller grin than he usually would have on his furry face, the cat rolled over and cocked his head to the side. "So, what do we do first, my dear?"

"First?" Alice repeated, puling of her blankets and standing up, turning around in a slow circle, making sure that indeed she was truly here, and then she eyed the cat wearily. "Well, first I get dressed."

Chessur's grin widened. "Be my guest."

. . .

After Alice planted Chessur outside her bed room door, she found herself getting back to her daily routine of things. First she drew herself a bath in her private bathroom that she and hers sister once shared and took a short bath, then changed quickly into a long pale blue gown with darker blue buttons along the middle of the bodice. Finally she pulled on her favorite striped stockings and shoes and ran a soft brush through her still damp curls and was ready for the day.

"Ready to go," Alice said as she draped her cloak around her shoulder's familiarly and started down the stairs to the front of her home, while Chessur followed silently behind her.

As she pushed open her front door, from inside the house she could hear her mother continuing her daily routine and with a small smile Alice shut the door as softly as possible before walking along the street towards the tea shop.

"What's this way?" The cat purred, as they turned a left and passed a mother and two children who were staring at the cat oddly.

"You really shouldn't do that in front of people." Alice mumbled while turning down towards another street.

"They don't understand me." Chessur pointed out, and jumped up on a low windowsill so that he and Alice were closer to eye level. "When I speak, everyone just hears what they expect too."

Alice rolled her eyes and pushed the door to the tea shop open –being careful to hide chess as, she did so-, and sat herself in front of a tall window at the front of the shop and ordering herself a cup of chamomile, let her mind drift.

"Tarrant's right, you know." Chess purred, jumping onto the window still and demanding her attention.

"About?" Alice asked her mind still miles away in the place where the Hatter was and she felt safer then anywhere else.

"You're mind can wander anywhere." The cat stated and Alice turned to look at him with a grin.

"You know, cats aren't really supposed to be in tea shops." Alice said softly and her smile widened as the cat's luminescent eyes did. "And they aren't supposed to talk."

Chessur shook his head. "I can't decide which is harder to believe." He gave her one last smile, and jumped down from the still and started towards the door, slipping through the small open space before it shut and leaving Alice alone in the sea of familiar people. At times like this, Alice would usually find herself daydreaming, mostly of new adventures in Underland, and sometimes even trips to other exotic places like China, which had been some of the most fun weeks of her life time, at least in her own world.

Alice frowned, and leaned her chin on her hand as she gazed out the window of the tea shop, even when the waitress placed a cup of chamomile tea next to her. The Hatter was right, she could drift off anywhere, but mostly when she was alone.

Someone tapped on Alice's shoulder and she jumped, turning round quickly excepting to say some witty comeback to Nicholas for sneaking up on her, but before she could opened her mouth, it dropped open and her eyes widened as she saw the man from her dream standing in front of her.

"Excuse me?" The stranger asked and smiled softly make Alice's eyes widen even more as he smiled the same way he had in her dream. He looked like he had literally walked out of Alice's dream, his dark hair swept up cleanly against his ears and his green eyes that seemed dimmer in person but still just as blazing and eye catching, just as her eyes were pinned onto his gaze now.

"Miss?" The stranger asked, leaning down closer and Alice cold see that his teeth were slightly crooked. "You're, Alice Kingsley correct?"

Alice blinked, and then nodded mutely, turning around and picking up her cup absentmindedly and placing it towards her lips. It wasn't as good as the tea in Underland, surprisingly bitter in fact but no less it was warm and gave her a shock that helped her get a handle on the situation she was in.

"I'm sorry," the stranger apologized, sliding into the seat across form her and clasping his hands nervously in front of him. "I know this might seem rather odd, but I wanted to ask if I looked….familiar, to you in anyway." His eyes shined s he said it and alive nearly choked on her tea while he did.

After finally swallowing the hot liquid, she put the porcine cup down and staring towards the stranger who was still gazing at her with a warm smile and the light still in his stunningly green colored eyes. "What do you mean?"

Well," The stranger's smile widened. "I just wanted to see if you, well, remembered me." He cocked his head to the side, and leaned in before he whispered lowly. "Don't tell me that you've forgotten me already, my dear."

. . .

Mirana knew that something was wrong, before she got into the throne room.

It was like a six sense that she'd developed years ago, and now it was telling her that something very bad has happened. And as she pushed the white, ivory doors open to her throne room; her predictions were proven very correct.

"Your highness," A solider said, while she walked up to the small circle that they'd made and bowed. "We have news for you."

"News?" Mirana repeated softly and sat down on her throne gracefully, her hands held daintily up-as they always were. "Of what?"

"Of your sister, your majesty." Another solider said, bowing as grandly as the first. "And, I'm afraid it isn't good news."

Mirana nodded, trying to keep her face a calm mask while the solider stared down at the ground and back up, his eyes filled with regret. "What has Iracebeth been up to?"

The solider took a deep breath. "She's gone, my lady."

The queen, pursed her lips. "Gone? As in she's left the outlands?"

The solider nodded. "And I'm afraid, she's here. In Underland."

**Did you like? I liked writing this chapter, I don't know why though. Maybe because I'm a sucker for the cliff hangers but that's just me. So how was your Halloween? Mine was good and a bit crazy but fun all the same. Review1 **


	27. A Twist And McTwisp

**Chapter 27 and I feel like it wasn't of my bests. But oh well, it gets somewhat to the point and It's a decent one. Enjoy! **

Alice gasped, raising a hand to her mouth, while the stranger in front of her grinned wider. "You-how did you get here?"

"Shh," The stranger whispered placing a finger on her lips to silence her. "You mustn't ask questions, Alice."

"But," Alice interrupted, pushing the stranger's hand away. "How did you get here?"

"I couldn't let you go here alone." He explained his eyes boring into hers. "Really, do you not know me at all?"

"Yes, but…" Alice's voice trailed off and she shut her eyes remembering what happened the last time they'd spoken. He'd just left her in the hallway, and now he was here, in London sitting right across from her as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "You…."

"I'm here, now." He whispered holding her hand softly and staring into her curious brown eyes. "And that's all that matters isn't it?"

Alice sighed. "Yes, Hatter but-"

"Shh," The man interrupted her again, and stared at her with narrow eyes. "Don't call me that here."

"Then, what do I call you? Tarrant?" Alice whispered back, tasting his true name on her lips. It was an odd calling I'm anything but Hatter, but if he was to live in her world, she would have to get used to calling him it.

"No," Tarrant said, still in the hushed tone. "Call me…Thomas."

"Thomas?" Alice repeated, cocking her head to the side as she stared at her friend with his new face. "But, why not Tarrant? No one would be able to make the connection except for Chess but-"

"Alice?" Nicholas asked, from the front of the tea shop and _Thomas _jumped, staring from Alice to Nicholas and back to Alice.

"I have to go." He said quickly before standing up and shaking the table enough to spill Alice's tea before disappearing into the crowd of London citizens.

"Wait," Alice called, while the man disappeared in the crowd of the teas hop and out the front door at the same time as Nicholas appeared by Alice's side, with his green cloak draped along his shoulders.

"Alice?" He asked, with an eye brow raised while he slid into the sat across from her. "Who were you talking to?"

Alice looked out he window, and watched as Hatter disappeared in the busy London's street down a long ally, then looked back at Nicholas with a wearily smile. "I was going to ask our waitress to bring me some sugar, but," She shrugged, trying to look casual. "I guess she couldn't hear me."

"Oh," Nicholas gave her a small smile and turned to the table behind theirs, grabbing a bowl of sugar from behind him and handing it to his friend before sitting back down. "Well, there you are. But I don't think it will be what you're accustomed to."

Alice rolled her eyes, and added two spoonfuls of sugar into her tea. "I think your right about that."

"So," Nicholas asked, looking around the shop before he leaned in and whisper. "Where is our esteemed Underlandian, today?"

Alice shrugged, looking out the window again, this time searching for a different person from Underland. "I don't know. He left here a few minutes ago, and I haven't seen him since."

Nicholas grinned. I don't think Mirana would enjoy you letting our companion run along so freely." Nicholas mused, taking a sip of Alice's tea before scowling at the taste. "I don't think I'll ever get used to _that _tea."

Alice sighed, and pushed a golden curl behind her ear. "Sorry, Nicholas, but we're going to have to get used to it for a while before we can go back."

Nicholas grinned, "You know, I think I could get used to this."

Alice raised an eye brow slightly, while her friend continued. "Not that I don't miss Underland at all, but this is nice. I kind of miss just being with you, Alice."

Alice sighed thoughtfully, and rolled her eyes. "Spending months on end trapped on a boat in the Atlantic wasn't enough for you?"

Nicholas grinned, "You know, I was pretty sure spending all that time on the boat might have made you sane."

Alice widened her eyes with a mock horrified gasp. "Parish the thought! Alice Kingsley sane?"

Nicholas took his turn to gasp, and grabbed his chest in an action simulating a heart attack. "No, the world no longer makes sense."

Alice and Nicholas started laughing, loud enough that more then one of the other customers cleared their throats bitterly before a waitress walked over and asked if they'd wanted to leave and continue their laughter outside. With a roll of their eyes, they left and the moment they did something ran into them and both teenagers tumbled to the ground.

Or more likely, someone. When Alice sat up, she half expected for someone to be apologizing to her, half heartedly –as most citizens did when they ran over her in particular-, or maybe scowling at her for being in their way, but instead she found herself looking down on a familiar little white rabbit in a red waist coat.

"McTwisp?" Alice asked, the same time that Nicholas finally turned to face her and the rabbit. "What are you doing here?"

"But before the rabbit even had to say anything, Alice knew that something had happened. Something terrible enough for Nivens to come up to their world and tell them as soon as possible. But not even this realization could prepare her for the surprise of what he said next.

"It's Iracebeth," He said quickly, eyes darting from one object to the next but never once landing on Alice or Nicholas. "She tried to break into the castle and…"

"What?" Nicholas asked. "What has she done, Nivens?"

"She's tried to kill her sister." Nivens whispered. "And, we need our Champion to return."

**See? Not one of my bests, but still has a very good cliff hanger at the end, as they all do. So, review, tell me what you think and let me just take this time to thank the following people ****xXAustenGirlXx****, ****Mi-chan1991****, ****fallinginslowmotion****, Dani, James Birdsong, ****NTDWY****, ****holyshoopuff11****, ****deathroman13****, ****SinuousFun-Keeper of Innocence****, ****BlueSkyDreams****, ****Danniellewright****, Em, ****angel3of3your3nightmare****, ****Sonata IX****, ****Ncisduckie****, ****onecelestialbeing****, ChillyRilly, ****ratherbereading125****, ****LadyElena17****, ****Allie-rossie-alalee****, ****katdancer**. **You guys have all either posted one comment or continued to post a lot and I can't honestly thank you guys enough and I think about you every time I write a new chapter. Hope you enjoyed this shout out!** **(And yes I put very name of anyone who ever comment on my story there, just saying :)) **


	28. Down

**I am hurrying so no long speech thingy! Just read! Enjoy! **

"Now?" Alice asked, looking around for a brief second before standing up and gesturing over to the darker ally between the tea shop and Mrs. Moon's flower shop. And once there, McTwisp continued his story.

"She'd broken in last night." Nivens explained, his eyes still darting between Nicholas and Alice quickly and his ears twitching with nervousness. "Its been about three days since you've left, and we haven't been able to track the ex-red queens whereabouts since she'd left the outlands. And…" The rabbit now stared back down at his hands. "Tarrant's whereabouts have been a mystery to us as well."

Alice could hear Nicholas' in take of breath beside her, but all she could think about was the person that had just been in the tea shop with her and told her to call him Thomas.

_That's why he didn't want me calling him Hatter or Tarrant. _Alice thought, surely._ Because Chessur or Nicholas could recognize him and he would have to go back. _

"-and now she's being held under lock and key." Nivens continued, notifying Alice that she'd missed most of the things he'd been telling them. "Though, she's not the same as the Iracebeth you faced on the fraptious day."

"Then we'll leave at once!" Nicholas stated, standing up straighter and looking down at Alice and the rabbit who were still crouched near the ground. "Alice?"

"What about Chess?" Alice asked, blinking and standing up quickly, but not looking at Nicholas or the white rabbit. We can't leave without him, and…" _and what about my mother? _Alice wanted to say. The last time that shed fallen down the hole was on accident, but this time she was purposely leaving, and possibly for good. Or the Hatter, who was probably hiding somewhere, trying to pass for an average English gentleman.

"I've already told him." Nivens said with a small, twitching smile. "I saw him before I found you two. He's probably already halfway to Underland as we speak."

"We have to go, Alice." Nicholas told her, and when Alice looked into her eyes she could see that he was probably wishing that he could say goodbye to his mother too. "They need you."

It was one of those moments, the kind that you would think about later, remembering it for the rest of your life, that Alice realized that Nicholas seemed much wiser then Alice. He reminded her of Aboslum, but Nicholas also had a mad side that he would love to be all the time, but he wanted to protect Alice.

"You're right." Alice said with a nod, running down to the edge of the ally before turning around, and giving both friends a brave smile. "But, Nivens still has to find someone first."

. . .

"I can't believe he came here." Nicholas said for the hundredth time, as they pushed a tree branch out of the way on the Ascot estate.

"He did, Nicholas." Alice told him, also for the hundredth time. "I knew it was him because I saw him in my dream."

"But, how did you recognize him?" Nicholas asked, with a small smile as if he was glad to watch Alice struggle with thought, which knowing Nicholas he was. "You told Nivens that he looked nothing like himself."

Alice shrugged, hopping over a log and continuing down the path of rabbit tracks that Nivens had left, making sure that this time they wouldn't get lost. "I just did."

Nicholas rolled his eyes and kept going towards a patch of sunlight that Alice knew could lead to the clearing of trees and eventually toward the dead tree where the rabbit hole would take her back home.

"I think it's weird." Nicholas said after while, once he and Alice were walking side by side, her blue dress being plucked by stray branches and bushes as they walked down the path, leaving only the sound of rustling leaves and crackling twigs in their wake.

"What is?" Alice asked, pushing a blonde curl behind her ear to keep it out of her peripheral vision.

"What Nivens said," Nicholas continued, as they finally entered the clearing which looked remarkably like the way it had when Alice had fallen down the hole at the day of her almost engagement party. "About Iracebeth being different from the day you fought her. What do you think he could have meant?"

Alice shrugged, and at, swinging her legs into the open hole of the rabbit hole, and letting them swing in the darkness while Nicholas got don next to her and did the same thing. "I can only imagine what she's like now." She smiled and turned to Nicholas, who was beaming back at her. "Ready?"

Nicholas nodded. "Always."

Then they jumped, letting go of the grass and the world behind them into the darkness of the rabbit hole, ready for what was to come where the rabbit hole ended.

**Hatter's cover is blown and there off to Underland yay! Who wants to guess how Iracebeth has changed? Come on, you know you want too! **


	29. Underland Once More

**Chapter 29, back to Underland and there is a twist and no I'm not going to ruin it so please read yourself! Enjoy!**

With a wild grin, Alice pushed the small door open to Underland, breathing in the wonderful scents of the world she'd missed. Behind her, she could hear Nicholas drinking the pishalver and shrinking down to the size Alice was now. Once he was, he appeared behind her and they walked through the small doorway into the bright world of Underland. Where, Bayard was sitting at the end of the stairs waiting for them.

"Bayard!" Alice called, running down the stairs and pulling up the shreds of her dress as she ran to the hound who was bounding up the stairs toward her, and once they met he licked her from top to bottom then did the same to Nicholas who he hadn't exactly been introduced.

"Alice," Bayard panted, and leaned down to speak with his champion eye to eyes. "And this must be your friend, Nicholas."

Nicholas grinned. "And you're Bayard, the wondrous hound who lead Alice to Marmoreal from the red queen's castle."

Bayard smiled back at Nicholas and leaned his head on the ground so that the above Landers could ride him back to the white queen's castle.

. . .

"Do you know where, Mirana is?" Alice asked as Bayard let them off inside the castle's hallway and Bayard shook his fur out and laid down on the white tiles.

"Check the kitchen…" Bayard mumbled sleepily, before his eyes fluttered closed and he started to snore softly, leaving Alice and Nicholas only a few inches tall and having to go find the kitchen on their own.

"This is starting off well." Nicholas pointed out as they started to walk down the hallway to where the kitchen might have been. No one seemed to notice them when they passed, and this was one of the first times that they hadn't been nodding at her or thanking her profusely.

"Yes," Alice agreed, as they turned down another corridor. "Do you think that Mirana is okay?"

Nicholas shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm sure she'd alright. Nivens said that the red queen tried to kill her, not that she succeeded."

Alice nodded, and they stopped at two double doors that Alice knew led to the kitchen. With their combined power, she and Nicholas pushed the door open wide enough for them both to sneak in, but when they walked in, neither one of them was prepared for what they saw.

Sitting on the stool was Mirana, her white hair cascading around her shoulders as gracefully as ever and her eyes fixed on her arm that was being wrapped up in bandages. And standing next to her, was the Hatter.

. . .

"Hatter?" Alice and Nicholas said in unison, Alice in utter amazement and Nicholas curious.

At his name, the Hatter turned and his eyes flashed to gold when he saw Alice and Nicholas standing there, dressed in make shift clothing fro what they'd been able to make on short notice, Alice, wrapped in a blue cloth that ended at her knees, and Nicholas wearing a longish shirt that ended bout where Alice's dress did. Without a moment's hesitation he was in front of them, bending down on one knee like he had when he'd first found Alice at the tea party, and gave them a wide gapped tooth smile.

"Alice," He breathed. "And Nicholas, we'd thought you wouldn't be here for a few more hours."

Alice took a step back, an action that she'd instantly regretted because Hatter now looked at her with anxious concern. "Alice?"

Alice shook her head, and turned to Nicholas, her eyes pleading that Nicholas had already started thinking what shed realized and thankfully he had. In a moment he was at her side, and leaned in to whisper something in Alice's ear.

"If he's here, than that wasn't him in London." He whispered. "And McTwisp is up there right now searching for the wrong Hatter."

Alice gave him a stern nod, and whispered back. "I know, we have to tell them."

"Excuse me?" Mirana's sweet voice asked, and both Nicholas and Alice jumped as Mirana kneeled toward them, her injured arm in her lap and her graceful head coked slightly to the side, while her dark eyes searched between the two without accusation but only curiosity. "What are you two whispering about?"

Alice blinked, and walked up towards the Queen, desperately trying to ignore the hatters watchful eyes on her every step. "Your highness, I'm afraid McTwisp is searching for someone that he doesn't need to."

"Oh?" Mirana asked. "And why is that?"

"She was lied to, your highness." Nicholas continued, when Alice looked down at her hands. "She met a man in London who claimed to be the Hatter and when McTwisp found us, she told him that it was the Hatter."

Alice continued to stare down at her hands when she heard the Hatter's gasp, and counted to ten while Nicholas explained what had happened once they'd left London.

"So, you believe that Nivens might be in danger if he reveals himself to the Stanger?" Mirana asked at the end of Nicholas story.

Nicholas gave the queen a nod and turned to Alice. "Tell her about your dream, Alice."

Alice looked up, and opened her mouth to speak when Mirana interrupted her. "How abut we continue this discussion later?" She suggested. "I'm sure that you both are very tired from your trip, and are eager to return to your proper size." She smiled, and gave Alice a quick wink that told her that the queen knew how uncomfortable she was, and stood up, with the elegance that only she could posses and walked over to the counter where she picked up two pieces of upelkuchen which she gave to two servants and whispered something in their ears.

When she returned, each servant picked up Nicholas and Alice and turned out the double doors, allowing Alice and Nicholas a quick goodbye, and one last glimpse at a lost looking Hatter whose eyes hadn't left Alice since she walked in, to the moment she disappeared toward her own room, a million questions running through is mad mind, and not one that he wanted the answer too.

**Mirana saves the day, when Alice is being less Alice-y then usual. The hatter is really in Underland and McTwisp is somewhere in London, what insanity will insure? I don't know yet….review! **


	30. Impossible To Be What You Can't

**Sorry, I haven't posted in awhile, so on with the reading! Enjoy.**

When the door shut behind the servant that had taken Alice to her room leaving Alice alone in solitude, the first thing she did was fall back on her bed. Sure, most normal people would have eaten their piece of upelkuchen and grown back to their normal size, but Alice was never normal. So for the first ten minutes she was alone in her room, she just laid on her bed, staring up at the pale blue ceiling that was ironically similar to the color of the dress that she'd worn when she'd returned to Underland.

Alice sat up, shaking out her wild blonde curls and turning to the small cake net to her, that was nearly the size of her head. With a grin, she picked it up with both hands and raised it t her mouth, taking a large enough bite that would return her to her normal size and thankfully, when she dropped the treat on her bed, her small blue scrapes of her dress had fallen on the floor, and the room turned to it's proper size to Alice.

Alice leapt off her bed, her feet landing lightly on the dark paneled floor and padded over to her closet, picking out a dress at random and tossing it over her head and pulling it down to where it was supposed to stay. The dress was a light lavender color, nearly white but with a subtle hint of color when she turned and the skirts billowed around her slim legs. She turned, and stared at herself in the mirror, a past time that she usually didn't do, but now, did it was a smile, unafraid and confidant in what stared back at her.

But the woman that stared back at her was a stranger to Alice. Her blonde curls toppled past her shoulders softly in a way that Alice never thought about before, and her deep brown set eyes were brighter then they were in Underland, but this woman was something that Alice had never really thought about before. This woman was pretty. No, this woman was beautiful in a way that Alice had never thought of before. Not the frilly and soft beauty that belonged in London, but a strong fieriness that belonged here, in the same world that she'd belonged too.

Someone knocked on her door, and Alice turned, silently walking over to her door and leaning her ear against it, wanting to be alone for just a few more moments before she'd returned to Underland's champion in everyone else's eyes. Except maybe for Nicholas, she would always be his friend, something that would never change.

And the Hatter.

Alice blinked, focusing more on the person behind the door, not about her friend. If she could even call him that anymore. It might have been petty, to be angry about something that was so stupid, but she didn't care. If he'd been a real friend, he would have screamed for her to stay, or thrown himself into one of his maddest fits yet, but no, he'd just calmly left her.

"Alice?" Nicholas asked, and Alice took a deep breath and pulled the door open slightly, enough so that Nicholas could slide though and enough for her to instantly shut it if it wasn't him. Thankfully though, it was him, though he wasn't exactly at the top of the list of people she wanted to see right now. "You alright?"

Alice nodded, and Nicholas slide inside her room, shutting the door behind him when he entered as if he was afraid that someone else might enter. "Hello, Nicholas."

Nicholas rolled his eyes and stared at Alice curiously. "Don't just 'hello Nicholas' me. When we went into the kitchen you turned white as a ghost, and looked as if you'd seen one too."

Alice shook her head and turned, walking over to the glass doors that opened to her own private balcony and walked out into the warm sunshine, hoping that her non existent response would be enough to fill Nicholas' curiosity.

Obviously it wasn't because Nicholas appeared next to her in an instant, leaning against the back while she stared at the horizon, trying to ignore the fact that she knew that his eyes were watching her every move. "Is it Hatter?"

Alice sighed, still not looking at Nicholas. "I don't want to talk about it, so please don't try to make me."

"I'm not." Nicholas replied, sounding for once in his life, serious. "But, I was right, wasn't I?"

Alice sighed and turned, facing Nicholas with an emotionless stare, and then opened her mouth, ready to tell him the truth, but instead what came out was. "I feel like things are falling apart, everywhere I go. That I can't save anyway, the way I should. I'm their champion for god's sake but I left and Mirana was almost killed!"

Nicholas sighed, and turned; facing the horizon that Alice was while alive crossed her arms over her chest and joined him. For five minutes, neither one of them spoke, the tense silence hanging between them until finally, Nicholas broke it.

"You're being too hard on yourself." He said plainly, still not looking at Alice. "I know you want to be able to save everybody, like Underland's champion should, but you can't be everywhere at once, and I think you should take to Mirana about this."

Alice blinked, and turned back to Nicholas. "Why, would you say that?"

"Because she'll understand this better then anyone." Nicholas gave her a lopsided grin and grabbed her arm, pulling her around and through he glass doorway toward her bedroom door.

"Where are we going?" Alice asked, more curious then annoyed, but that was always the way.

"We're going to go to the dungeon." Nicholas told her, pulling open the door and pushing her through it then following her before shutting it tightly behind him. "To do your part as Underland's champion."  
>Alice stared at him then shook her head softly. "We're going to see the red queen." It wasn't a question or an accusation, just a statement.<p>

Nicholas nodded, "And we're going to find out why she chose now to kill the white queen, and how she knew that we were gone."

"And Mirana is letting you do this?" Alice asked skeptically, while they turned sharply toward a long stair case that ended at the door of a dark door, the darkest thing in Marmoreal's castle of white.

Nicholas stopped and stared at her like she'd just asked him to stop and break into an elaborate ballet. "No, of course not. She's helping us too."

**Cliffhanger…we meet again. So, would you also be mad at the Hatter, mad like angry not mad like crazy, because being crazy at the hatter doesn't make sense. Unless your crazy mad, but that would just be like saying your mad twice. It's confusing, but whatever1 review!**


	31. The Threat

**Sorry no posting, but I know exactly what's going to happen now, and you will all be happy! Enjoy! **

The dungeon looked like the way most people would have expected one to. The walls that surrounded Nicholas and Alice were tightly packed with cobble stones and at the end of the corridor was a large brown door.

Standing in front of it were two knights, one in red and one in white. Each holding slim pointed spear like objects. Next to them was the queen, looking as collected as only Mirana could be, arms held poises at her waist and the dark eyes filled with their usual determination and softness. Alice however, didn't see the Hatter until he was right in front of her. His eyes were a deep, glittering topaz, shining even in the dim light provided by the candles along the walls.

"Alice?" Hatter asked, eyes never leaving her own, even when hers did. "I've been worried about you. You seemed to shock to see me before, and after what Nicholas explained why wouldn't you be? But, you never came out of your room to see me, which I would have really appreciated if you'd-"

"Hatter," Mirana whispered urgently and he stopped, turning around to face her for a moment before he moved back to stare at Alice.

"Let's do this, now." Alice mumbled, and stepped around Tarrant, still refusing to meet his eyes and waiting for the door to open to the once red queen's cell.

With a nod from their queen the closest solider opened the door to the dungeon, and Alice could already hear the unforgettable hitch of breath from Iracebeth of Crims.

"Sister," The ex queen called, a smile carried from her voice. "And I see you've brought company."

"These are more then just company, sister." Mirana explained, following Alice as they walked into the dark. "These are the people that will help decide your fate."

Nicholas' eyes widened, but Alice kept her face impassive, a technique she'd learned from her mother while the soldiers lit lights around the room and Iracebeth's face came into view, not like the Iracebeth she'd once known.

Her skin was still as pale as Alice had remembered it, but the make up was smeared all along her face, blue shadowy patches over her eyes and her lips with smeared red lipstick. Hr once proud stiff hair was limp, the top still making a deformed heart but falling around her face and shoulders as well.

"Alice," The red queen mused, and gave Underland's champion a small smile. "I see you've brought your own friend here, too."

Alice didn't give her an answer; instead she glared at the woman with a hateful gaze, and a expectant one.

"I trust you don't know why I'm here," Iracebeth asked. "Do you?"

"You tried to kill Queen Mirana." Nicholas replied calmly. "Your reason is murder."

Iracebeth blinked and opened her mouth with a large intake of breath. "I had to!"

"You didn't have to do anything!" Alice snapped, feeling like it was only the three of them in the Dungeon. "But you would do anything in your power to get your crown back."

"You don't understand1" Iracebeth whispered, and Alice wasn't sure if it was to Alice or for the queen herself. She ducked her head, red curls surrounding her face like a dark curtain.

"I believe we do." Nicholas stated, in a calm tone. "I just think you don't understand the seriousness of your actions. I believe you're cruel, not just to steal the crown but even to kill your own sister."

"Nicholas." Mirana whispered, and while he turned around and they engaged in their own private conversation, Alice took a step closer to the queen, and realized with horror that tears were spilling down her face.

Even though that Iracebeth had harmed so many, including her own sister, Alice still felt her heart pang at watching the mad woman cry. There had to be a reason for her actions, because not even she could be so cruel to kill her own sister, and that was the kind of thing that Alice needed to find out.

"Iracebeth?" Alice whispered, and the woman raised her head slightly, her right hand covering her mouth. "Why are you here, Iracebeth? And why did you try to kill your sister?"

"Because," Iracebeth sobbed, coughing and hiccupping just to get the one word out. "He told me to. And if I didn't…"

Alice nodded softly, knowing exactly who he was and what he was capable of, even if he was _her_ knave. "What would he have done?"

Iracebeth looked up at Alice with a pleading look and turned, pulling her left arm from behind her back, revealing what was left of it. At the end of her wrist where her left hand was supposed to be was a stump, wrapped around by rags, dark and black from the blood that had soaked and stained them. Mirana gasped, placing pale fingers to her mouth to keep from whatever bile that rose in her throat to e4scape and Nicholas turned and gagged, while the Hatter just stared with wide dark colored eyes. If he was afraid of her, or for Alice, or for Iracebeth or just made at Stayne, Alice would never know because the queen continued.

"He said…" Iracebeth whispered, choking on the words with tears. "If she wasn't dead when he returned, he'd cut the other one off, too."

**A twist, Iracebeth being betrayed by Stayne, what are the odds (lots of sarcasm). Did you like? Please review! **


	32. The Right Decision

**Sorry I haven't writing in a couple days, I'm kind of getting sick and haven't been in the mood to write. Burt no more excuses and now you read! Enjoy!**

"That's why I came here!" Iracebeth cried. "I had to try, but…but….but I just couldn't." She gasped, and turned to her younger sister. "I beg you, please. Will you be able to help me?"

Alice turned around, looking for guidance from her queen even though the question wasn't directed toward her. Mirana looked like she was on the verge of tears, but she gave her sister a solemn smile and nodded, so Alice decided to speak for her majesty.

"We'll help you. But you have to tell us what he's doing." Alice told Iracebeth. "And where he is."

"In your world." Iracebeth whispered leaning forward towards Alice who was standing closer to Iracebeth as well. "He's in your world and he left when you left. He said he'd be able to get you in your own world, when you wouldn't expect it. And, there's more." Iracebeth turned her gaze up at the Hatter who was staring at her with serious eyes, the shade of pishalver. "We have something, something of yours milliner. He said if I was captured I should bargain it for my freedom."

"What?" It wasn't Hatter who asked, it was Alice. Her brown eyes pinned on Iracebeth. "What do you have?"

"Who," Iracebeth replied.

"What?" Nicholas, Alice and Mirana said in unison, while Hatter continued to stare at Iracebeth as if she wasn't t really there and just another figment of his mad imagination.

"It isn't a what." Iracebeth said plainly. "It's a who."

"Who is it then?" Nicholas asked impatiently while Iracebeth kept her gaze on Hatter who stared right back.

"One of your own, Milliner." Iracebeth replied, softly, a sad smile crossing her face. "A Hightopp."

"What?" Alice gasped, whirling around to Hatter who'd gone noticeably paler then usual. "I thought that they all-"

"They did." Iracebeth interrupted. "All but Tarrant, so you assume. But one I rather liked. She was quite burned, but she begged for me to spare her and let her life. She was quite beautiful and I thought it would be nice to have someone like herself for my court."

"Where is she, now?" Mirana asked, surprised that she and her champion and Nicholas were asking the questions but not Hatter.

"My castle," The ex queen continued. "She stayed in a room that shed never be able to escape. And she still might be there, now."

"How do you know?" Nicholas asked skeptically. "What if she-"

"She has enough food to last her a decade!" Iracebeth snapped, an old habit Alice was faintly glad to see return. "I made sure she was very well taken care of, incase a situation like this appeared."

"So," Alice stated. "If she's there, like you claim, we'll allow you to stay here."

"And protect me." Iracebeth added, raising her good hand towards her sister who was, thankfully, standing on Alice's left. "Do we have a deal?"

Mirana took a step forward, leaned over and raised her hand for her elder sister to take. "I accept your offer, sister."

Iracebeth's eyes shone as she griped her younger sister's hand and shook it once, sealing the deal.

Up ahead the dungeon door slammed, the noise echoing through the quiet room, and making the Hatter's exit extremely noticed.

. . .

"He's adjusting." Mirana whispered as their group walked back up the stairs, then were first, and behind them was Nicholas, then the knights and finally Iracebeth. "You realize that this is a big change for him. He's thought that his entire family was lost; except for him then finding that suddenly someone else might have survived as well," She shook her head softly, her light curled hair flowing around her face. "It might take him a little while to adjust."

Time was still something that Alice had never, and might never, be accustomed to. Children supposedly learned to grow more patient as they grew older, but that had never been Alice's case, nor did she mind. Being impatient was second nature to her, and even though it could drive her absolutely mad at times, she'd learn to deal with it as best as she could.

Though she wasn't dealing with it in the best way now, instead Alice paced along the cobbled stone path in front of the large cherry blossom tree in the white queen's castle while the White queen planned the rescue mission for the lost Hightopp, something Alice would rather not have been apart of, and Nicholas pondered through the library.

"Why Alice?" an amused voice purred from above and Alice looked up towards the tree where the unforgettable gray tabby lay on a tall tree branch. "Out for a morning stroll?"

Alice shrugged and leaned against the thick trunk of the tree, leaning down and resting at its base while pulling her dress up close to her chest. "You seem to appear in tree's a lot, don't you?"

"And you seem to have something on your mind." Chessur pointed out, his head appearing inches from Alice's with a wide smile. "Care to share?"

Alice shook her head, blonde curls spraying around her face, and looked up, past the cherry blossoms and past the spiraling castle ceilings to the blue sky, something that would never change, and something that reminded her of home.

"You can't keep your secrets hidden forever." Chess mused, while Alice continued to ignore his presence. "Everyone has to clear their conscience at once time or another."

"Then I chose later." Alice replied, adding mentally _later, much, much later. _

"Suit yourself." Was the clever cat's reply before he disappeared in a cloud of smoke and Alice was left once again alone, or so she thought. Seconds later, she heard the cat reappear, sitting on a lower branch then before.

"It's sad." He said, sadly. "He tries so hard to keep it within himself."

"Who?" Alice asked, turning around to the cat above her.

"He tries to hide himself from you_._" Chess continued, his grin fading for a moment before he widened it back in no time at all. "Trying to be the man you remember."

Alice knew who chess was talking about in an instant, but didn't want to believe it. Could the Hatter be hiding himself from her? Turning in private to throw his mad fits so she wouldn't see?

_That would explain…_Alice let her thought trail off. They'd both made decisions that they weren't proud of recently, she knew that and he must have known that. So maybe, it was time to fix it.

"And," The Cheshire cat continued, "Now he's probably in one another one of them that no one may able to bring him out of."

Alice stood, leaning her back against the tree and cocking her head high, spotting the faintest glimpse of someone in an upstairs bed room, throwing things around and ripping things, everything an anything in their path being destroyed. If she strained her ears, she could just barley make out the bangs that echoed off the walls, and the, screaming.

"Why isn't anyone trying to stop him?" Alice asked, and her reply was being stared at like shed suddenly gone sane.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Chessur stated, his body unwinding till he was just a cat's head with glowing eyes. "There_ is_ a reason he hides himself."

Alice nodded and turned away, back towards her friend's room that had gone quieter, so she could no longer hear anything banging. "I didn't earn my muchness by just standing around, Chess."

And with that, Underland's champion pushed herself off the tree and stated for the white castle. Bounding its glimmering silver steps confidently, about to come face to face and do something that shed should have done a long time ago.

By the time Alice ended up on the right floor, she nearly crashed into Mirana.

"Alice," Mirana breathed warmly, smiling a gentle dark lipped smile, while she took a step back. "I was just about to look for you. I'm sending a party of knights towards my sister's castle. "Would you care to join them?"

Alice blinked, looking between the empty hall where the Hatter's room was located, and Mirana's come yet hopeful gaze. This would be a moment that Alice would look back on, the moment where she had two choices that would lead two different endings. She could attempt to help the Hatter a battle that was more of a suicide mission, or she could go find someone from his past. Someone who might have known him better then herself. So, the choice was simpler then most people would have thought.

"I'll get the Bandersntach ready." Alice replied, earning an earnest nod from Mirana and turned around, down the stairs, leaving all her second thoughts behind her on the stairs.

**Yes, longer then most and that's good. Did she make the right decision? What would have you done? Keep up the sweet reviews please! **


	33. The Other Hightopp

**Again, I am so sorry I haven't written in forever and this one is long and I am so excited! Enjoy.**

As Alice pulled herself onto the Bandersnatch's back, she regretfully looked up toward one of the castle's rooms, where she's been previously staring.

The crashing sound had faded from hears while she built more distance from the room, but the distance didn't stifle her curiosity didn't stop nagging at her to go up to him. To push open the door and…and what? Would she wrap her arms around him like when they'd been reunited before? Or would she press her hands to his cheeks, to keep him from avoiding her gaze except form hers. Or maybe…

_No, _Alice thought sternly. _No, there has to be no distractions. _

And soon, her focus would be tested because they were off. Alice, gripping a borrowed sword, leading the red and white soldier's behind her. After the last f the cherry blossom trees disappeared behind them, Alice told the Bandersnatch to gallop, and soon the knights followed her, galloping at the creature's heels.

. . .

Suddenly the red queen's castle grew in the distance, looking much like it had the last time that Alice had been there. Though, time had taken its toll, walls where paint started to crack and peel, darkening with age.

The Bandersnatch shuddered as they walked along the draw bridge inside the castle, passing the small shack that had once been his home, and held horrible memories for Alice as well.

"Don't worry." Alice whispered while they passed it, trying not to look and remember. "I'll never let you go back to that."

"Alice!" Someone called form above, and Alice's head snapped up towards a red knight standing at the entrance to the castle. "She's this way."

Alice nodded, sliding off the fluffy beast and stroked his neck softly. "I'll be back." She whispered before turning to follow the red knight who'd already ducked under the doorway and into the bowels of the castle, while others walked around the grounds, white k nights seeing everything for the first time,. And red knights viewing it with dark memories of their own.

It seemed that this castle was even more complicated then the white queen's and more then once they'd managed to get themselves lost by going down the wrong corridor. Before finally stopping ay a door with a large lock carved into the wood. With a single finger Alice traced the carving in the wood, deep and smooth to the touch as it twisted and curved along her touch, and then she turned the knight that had escorted to the room.

"Do you have the key?" Alice asked, and watched with fascination after she took a step back and the knight put a thin black key with a heart carved at its end into the small whole at the doors middle.

The door swung open with a loud creak, light greeting Alice and the knight as he took a step forward into he room, and then another, his elegant spear in his hands stiff with anticipation. Finally he turned; ready to give Alice the signal that it would be safe for her to join him in the room.

And didn't see the large wooden object swing out from behind him and hit him unconscious.

. . .

Alice gasped, nearly dropping her own weapon in the process, and ran inside, neatly ducking the swing off the wood's wielder and turned swiftly, blocking the next blow with her sword.

"Drop your weapon." Alice commanded as they pulled back and raised their wood again, but the action would prove their fatal mistake because Alice cleanly ducked again and appeared behind the attacker, placing the blade against her neck, until they swung out and stopped, the tip poking at their throat.

A long dark cloak had been pulled over their face, so Alice wasn't able to decide if her attacker was male or female, only that she was in control and with the flick of her wrist she could kill them.

"Put it down." Alice repeated, nodding towards the wooden leg of a chair that was still in their hand. "Right now."

"Don't tell me what to do." The cloaked figure hissed, but did as they were told. "I'm trying to get out of here, not kill you."

Female, Alice decided, but kept her face as impassive as she could. "Why not leave on your own?"

"It locks from the outside." They explained, distaste and cold seeping through her words. "And I can't get out through the windows unless I want to break my legs."

"I see." Alice replied, a small smile on her lips. "What's your name?"

The stranger shook her head, a short bark of a laugh. "That's not how this works. It goes like this, you let me walk away right now, and I'll let you keep your sword, while I go to Marmoreal."

"To Queen Mirana," Alice suggested, and watched with pleasure as the stranger was caught slightly off guard, but recovered quickly. "That's why I'm here."

"To take me to her?" The stranger asked skeptically. "How stupid do you think I am?"

"I don't." Alice protested. "But she sent me here, because you're a Hightopp."

They nodded. "Yes, the last of the Hightopp clan. And who are you? One of Iracebeth's filthy spies?"

"Alice," Alice told her, shrugging off, the rude remark. "I'm Alice. The champion of Underland."

They nodded again. "I've heard of you. You slayed the Red queen's Jabberwocky." They shook their head again, more slowly and softly. "And now you're here to save me, huh?"

Alice nodded back at the, "She told me that she's been keeping you here."

The stranger gasped, lowering her head and a slim white hand appeared from the front opening in the cloak and darted up into the shadow of the hood that hid her face. For a second, there was just silence and then Alice heard small, nearly inaudible noises, the soft sobbing breaking from the hidden girl's chest.

"She's kept me here so long…" She sobbed, taking a deep quick breath. "I…I've tried….but…but I just…"

Alice lowered her sword, taking a step toward the stranger who had started to shake. "I know you have. That's why I'm here. I'm going to-"

In a flash Alice was on her back, her chest stinging with every breath and her sword in the slim and strong hands of the stranger. Alice's head bounced against the hard tile, craning her head up painfully to stare at the still hidden girl.

"You're not much of a champion, are you?" They asked a small glimmer in the shadow, a smile. "But you _were_ raised in the above world, weren't you?"

"You need to come with me." Alice told her, "I know you think that I'm trying top trick you, but I'm not. You need to trust me."

"Why?" She asked, shaking her head.

"Because you're not the only Hightopp." Alice said her brown eyes dead serious, hopefully serious enough to gain this Hightopp's trust. "And they're waiting for you, in Marmoreal."

The stranger gasped and she took a sudden step back, the action jerking the hood over her shoulders and revealing her face for the first time. She had pale skin, nearly the complexion of Mirana's and a few long dark strands of hair fell around and into her face, after escaping the tight braid that showed along the inside of the cloak. Her mouth was open slightly, and her lips where pink as a rose, and her eyes were like nothing that Alice had ever seen.

They were made from ever color imaginable, bright blue and teals peaking out as they picked up from the light of the room, glistening in ruby red, vibrant green, vibrant blue, striking yellow, rich orange and radiant purple, all surrounding her dark pupils.

"You like them?" The girl asked, her eyes fixing into a cold glare. "Well, I don't. They're the reason I was brought to this place in the first place." She paused, pulling the sword back slightly, allowing Alice a bit more room to breathe. "Alice, if there's another Hightopp alive, then…"

"I can bring you to them." Alice finished, sitting up slightly. "What's your name?"

"Irisa." She replied, her lips forming a solid line as she took a step closer to Alice, blade poised. "And you swear? No tricks?"

Alice nodded, inching back and trying to lean up straighter. "I swear."

Irisa nodded once at the girl on the floor and pulled back the sword. "Alright, but let me get something." She turned, halfway then swung back, raising the sword back at Alice. "I wouldn't move if I were you."

Alice nodded again, while Irisa turned around again and walked over to a large wooden wardrobe. She grabbed at a drawer at random and dug around inside. Pulling, pushing and tossing clothes at random onto he floor before pulling out a small top hat, worn off to one side and made from black fabric.

On the front was a large, bright orange flower, perhaps and iris, and around it were smaller similar plants in every color that matched exactly to her eyes. A long strip of green silk rapped around lower half of the top hat, a color that was extremely familiar to Alice but before she could put her finger on it, Irisa turned around, holding the beautiful hat possessively in her hands.

"It was a gift," She mused, stroking her hand along the top once before her eyes darted back up to Alice's "From a very dear friend." Then, she did something that surprised Alice completely, she smiled, a very wicked and excited smile. "Let's go, champion."

**Do you like my OC? I do, and yes I added my own little shout out in her, hopefully you can guess what that is. So, how are you doing? What are you guys doing for thanksgiving? I'm going to Georgia, to see some cousins of mine. Fun-ness. Review! **


	34. Do You Remember Me?

**Kind of short, but I just couldn't wait till tomorrow! Enjoy! **

The ride back from the red queen's castle was quieter then when they'd originally come. No one spoke at all this time, no one shouted directions, of said when to stop and look in case of danger, just the steady beat of horses hoof prints while they walked along the path, but not ignoring the new passenger that had joined them. In fact, Alice noticed that several times the knights would steal glances at the woman who wore her hood freely around her shoulders, her rainbow eyes fixed on the horizon ahead while she rode steadily on a white horse, next to Alice.

Finally, as the gates of Marmoreal came into view, Irisa turned to Alice, a determined spark in her gaze. "Alice, can we go straight to the queen? We have a lot to discuss."

Alice nodded, hopping off her Bandersnatch and stroked its fur softly before turning back to Irisa. The two maidens walked down the long white corridor side by side, Irisa leaving her cloak with one of the servants and undid her long black braid. She was dressed in a version hat Alice assumed a Hightopp would wear. Her skirt was striped with black along the red skirt, and gold fabric draped along the tops and ending at her bodice. Her bodice was a light mauve, dotted with a gold pattern across the middle and her sleeves puffed up and skimmed green cross her shoulders. The only thing that seemed like Alice would wear were the black flats shown at the ankle where her dress ended.

And of course, the dark black flowered hat gracefully hung on the side of her head, dark black hair falling down to her waist in a waterfall of sleek.

Finally they ended up at the throne room, where the beautiful queen sat, hands poised and alone.

"Alice," Mirana said warmly, standing up and smiling down at them with a motherly gaze of proud and elegance. "And, may I believe that this is our lost Hightopp?"

Irisa nodded, hesitantly and took a few steps toward. "Yes, your majesty. My name is Irisa Marie…" she bowed lowly, grabbing the edges of her skirt and bowing lowly while she dropped her gaze. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Mirana's smile widened. "As it is to make yours. Has our champion told you much about your fellow clan member?"

Irisa shook her head softly, before Alice could answer. "Before you do, I must confess that-"

"Well hello." A voice purred, and Irisa turned to see Chessur lying down on thin air, a wide smile as his gaze drifted over Irisa. "You must be our missing Hightopp."

Irisa gave him a wide eyes stare. "Well-"

"Yes, Chess," Interrupted the queen, eyeing Irisa with something that resembled familiarity. "And I believe that she was about o tell us something when-"

"Shall I fetch our dear friend the Hatter?" The cat asked, appearing next to Mirana who nodded wearily. "I'm sure this should pull him out of one of his moods."

"Chess." Alice hissed, eyeing the cat with the same expression as her queen while remembering what the cat had showed him. But the cat was already fading into smoke by the tie she said. "Maybe we should-"

"Your highness?" A servant asked, opening the door softly and poking his head through. "We have someone who requests an audience with you, shall we-"

"Do you think we can reschedule?" the queen asked arms raised slightly higher then they were before. "Currently we are speaking on a very important-"

"He'll be down in a few minutes." The tabby said, appearing next to Alice this time. "Nearly took my head off when he threw that-"

"Your highness?" Irisa asked, her eyes holding a very anxious look. "I really think it would be best for us to talk before-"

"Sister?" Iracebeth called, pushing the door open to the throne room and pushing the servant aside. "What are you doing that's so important that-?"She froze, seeing Irisa for the first time, whose rainbow eyes narrowed into slits. "I see you've found the Hightopp."

"You." Irisa hissed, taking a dangerous step forward. "I can't believe that you bother to show your face after-"

"Sister." Mirana said sternly. "I don't think that you should be here under the certain circumstances."

Iracebeth blinked. "But-"

"Where's that slurvish, gutter scut of a feline?" a Scottish voice roared, and everyone's head whipped around and watched as the Hatter pushed open the door to the throne room, eyes, instantly fixing on Alice, then widening and seeing who was standing next to her. His eyes went wide, and turned from burning red to striking gold. "Irisa?"

Irisa gasped, her own rainbow eyes widening, and her delicate eye brows rising up to her hair line. "Tarrant?"

"Irisa?" Mirana repeated, her eyes widening too, as if she had just realized something. But before Alice could ask, Irisa was running, past Iracebeth, past Alice and right into the arms of a still stunned Hatter.

**Cliff hanger! Anyone want to guess what Irisa has to say? How will Hatter react to Irisa? You tell me!**


	35. Never The Same

**Chapter 35! And, no I didn't make Irisa hatter's girl friend okay? Enjoy! **

"Why don't we start from the beginning?" The white queen asked, folding her hands into her lap as she sat at the head of a long silver table. To her right sat Alice, and next to Alice was Nicholas. Then to Mirana's left was Irisa and then Hatter, his eyes still wide and topaz, never leaving Irisa's body for a second. "Irisa?"

Irisa nodded, staring down at her hands, and taken a deep breath before she spoke. "I guess I'll tell you it all from the party. It was the day that everything was supposed to change." She looked up, her eyes shining. "For the better."

Alice watched the Hatter carefully, wondering what mad sort of things were running through his mind as Irisa poke, but he kept his eyes gold, as she did.

"We were celebrating." Irisa continued. "It was a big party, with everyone from the clan, and even the white queen." She smiled wearily. "I remember how excited I was that everyone was together too."

"Irisa?" Nichols asked his dark eyes wide with curiosity. "How did you escape the Jabberwocky?"

Irisa shook her head softly. "I didn't, I didn't even see the jabberwocky. All I saw was the fire."

"How?" Queen Mirana asked, softly.

"I left a few minutes before the attack." Irisa explained. "I was getting something important from my home, but when I started walking back, I heard the screams. Suddenly, there was fire everywhere, and I ran back but I fell down a hole.

"My leg got twisted up and I couldn't walk, only listen as my family was burned to death." She paused and looked up at The Hatter, who had a sad smile on his face. "Then Stayne found me. He must have heard my crying because suddenly he picked me up, and brought me to the queen. She liked my eyes, and that, made her spare my life, as long as I stayed in her castle so she could look at them."

She paused and looked around at the group, finally resting on Hatter's gaze with a soft smile. "But, it was worth it, because I found you."

Before the Hater could speak, Chessur reappeared next to Irisa, who had gotten more used to his sudden appearances. "Irisa, I have a question for you."

Irisa nodded calmly. "Yes?"

"What _is_ your relationship with our dear old friend the Hatter?" the cat wondered, spinning his head around until it was upside down. "A cousin perhaps? Or maybe a sister?"

Irisa turned to Hatter, questioningly. "You never told them?"

Hatter himself blinked. "I thought…."

They all knew what the Hatter would have said, that he thought she was dead and one. Irisa nodded and cocked her head to the side, and placed her hand over Tarrant's.

"At least we can tell them now." Irisa said sweetly, squeezing his hand and turning to Alice and the rest of them. "The reason that we were celebrating the day of the attack, was because of Tarrant and I."

The Queen's eyes widened, but she didn't say anything, just let Irisa continued speaking.

"We were celebrating our wedding day." Irisa finished a small embarrassed smile on her face.

Nicholas gasped, but Alice just kept staring, the words passing over her like a wave of numbness; Not exactly touching her, but she knew it would sooner or later.

"You mean, Nicholas asked. "That, you and the Hatter?"

"We're married." Irisa replied, raising her left hand that held on her forth finger a sparkling silver ring with an opal in the middle.

. . .

"Hatter?" Alice asked, after a long beat of awkward tense silence. No one spoke, just stared at each other with different expressions. Nicholas in awe, Irisa embarrassed, Mirana regretful, and Alice's lost, her brown eyes pleading for her Hatter to tell her that it wasn't true.

But why? The Hatter's happiness meant the world to Alice, it had ever since she'd hurt him by leaving him for years. And now, he had a perfectly good chance to be harpy, yet she's wishing that he'll tell her it isn't true.

Hatter looked up, meeting Alice's gaze with an apologetic expression that instantly shot down all hope that Irisa's words weren't true. They were married years ago, and technically still were. And he was probably madly in love with her as she seemed to be with him.

Alice stood, pushing her chair back and ran. She ran out the door to the dining room, and out into the hallway and kept going, finding herself outside, running past the large tree that she sat under while Chessur pointed out what Hatter was doing, and to the place that Alice had once talked to Absoulm in his cocooned state. She stopped and ran up to the edge, leaning forward along the concrete and staring off at the view in front of her, and finally fell down to her knees, pushing her back against the wall and burying her face in her knees.

Alice, who had always been strange and mad in the best possible ways, now found herself more confused then ever. Or at least she wanted to be. Her chest burned, throbbing painfully in a way that she'd never felt before. But saw it before.

When Margret was fifteen, she had her heart broken by a boy named James. She locked the door to her room and didn't come out for days, but every night Alice could hear her sobbing through the walls that separated their bed rooms. Margret was heartbroken, and now Alice was too.

"Alice?" Someone called, but Alice kept her face in her knees, praying that who ever it was would go away. But, as usual, they walked towards her and sat down next the crying girl. After a few moments, Alice felt strong arms go around her and her face smashed into a familiar smelling shoulder, and she looked up at Nicholas.

"I'm so sorry, Alice." He whispered, stroking her hair and patting her back as she sobbing in a completely un-Alice-y way. This wasn't how they'd ever acted before, they'd never been sad, or hart broken or hurt like this. They'd always been happy and smiling. Nicholas had never hurt Alice, and Alice had never hurt Nicholas.

Alice pulled back, staring at Nicholas with wide brown eyes, and then suddenly, like it was the most natural thing in the world, he pressed his lips to hers.

. . .

The kiss was nice, pleasant even, everything that Alice would expect from kissing Nicholas but it wasn't the sparking amazing kiss that Alice would have always thought her first kiss to be. Alice pulled back, and saw that Nicholas was staring at her with a hopeful expression and Alice gave him a tiny smile. Then, they both stood and walked back to the castle.

. . .

He was waiting for her, pacing back and forth in front of his window's trying to figure pout something that kept disappearing from his grasp, when Alice walked in. she didn't knock, she wanted him to be surprised and not possibly turn her away, but just walked in and shut the door as quietly as possible while making a point of her presence.

He froze and turned to her, his topaz eyes shining before turning into a lavish green and gave her a small gapped tooth smile. "Alice,"

"Hatter," Alice whispered, but as she took a step forward she froze. She had no idea what she was going to say to Hatter, and no idea what he might have said to her, so they just stood there staring back at once another.

Then she was in his arms, her hands clinging around his neck for dear life as he pressed her closer to him, neither wiling to let go at any moment.

"Alice," he mumbled into her hair, and Alice pulled pack, staring for the second time into someone's eyes at this close of a distance. "I'm…"

Alice shook her head. She didn't want him to apologize, she didn't even know what she wanted, but she did want to be with Hatter. And with his arms around her, she was happy. Then, also for the second time, their lips touched, briefly at first but sending the sparks of giddiness that Alice felt when ever they made contact a hundred times over.

Then the kiss turned fierier, more passionate. Her hands raked through his wild hair, and his arms tightened around her, pulling her up to make the kiss last longer.

And then it was over, Alice didn't know who pulled back first, but now they were just staring at each other, eyes wide with the realization of what they'd done, and then someone knocked at the door.

Both of them jumped apart as Irisa walked into the room, her eyes zoning onto Hatters green eyes and smiled wide, showing more perfectly straight teeth. She walked over to him, and grabbed his hand without his consent then whispered something in his ears. Both of them turned to Alice for one last moment, Irisa with pure joy and Hatter with remorse.

The Hightopp couple waltzed out of the room, Tarrant's eyes still lingering on Alice without Irisa noticing, until the door shut behind them. Leaving Alice alone, with a million problems to solve, and three hearts to add to the insanity.

**End of Book 1 **

**Did I lie, no I didn't. Irisa is Hatter's wife and that will add a lot of conflict. And, for all those Nicholas haters, now you have something more to hate him. The kiss between Alice and her friend was strictly necessary, and a little fun because I love a little drama. Or in this case, a lot. And for all you TarrantXAlice fans, you're welcome. And even bigger drama, this is only book 1! There will be a book 2 that will hopefully resolve all these issues between Alice and Hatter and blah blah blah, but you'll have to be patient, okay? Thanks for al the great reviews! And no I have no idea what the title of my new story is but, I will find out soon! Love you guys! ightoHightopp's walked out of the room, Hatter's eyes ling **


	36. One Last Messege!

**Hello my friends! **

**If your reading this then you've noticed there's a chapter 36 to Three Hearts and an Alice? **

**But hasn't that fan fiction ended? **

**RIGHT! Thank you for paying attention. But now you must read the sequel to Three Hearts and an Alice! Behind the Heart (Title by one of my loyal reviews ;)) **

**Now, please go find this new fan fiction and read! You know you want too! **

**And before I forget, thank you to…loulouflowerpower, xXAustenGirlXx, Mi-chan1991, fallinginslowmotion, Dani, James Birdsong, NTDWY, holyshoopuff11, deathroman13, SinuousFun-Keeper of Innocence, BlueSkyDreams, Danniellewright, Em, angel3of3your3nightmare, Sonata IX, Ncisduckie, onecelestialbeing, ChillyRilly, ratherbereading125, LadyElena17, Allie-rossie-alalee, katdance, Wolfie-chanLovesSilently. I"ve said it once and I shall say it again, your reviews are what make me want to write and hopefully you'll continue reviewing on my next story! **

**It's already up, so…STOP READING THIS AND READ MY NEXT STORY PLEASE! **

**Now! **

**Stop reading this! **

**GO!**

**Why are you still reading this? Come on! **

**BYE! **


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